At another world
by Kerlongsj Evert Orlejov
Summary: When my brother goes missing in action after a fight, I find out my sister has more secrets she covered me from. I'm not having it anymore. I'll find out what she has been keeping from me. I'm a Knight and I'll fight for the Angels. But it doesn't mean that a Devil would be my enemy. He can my ally, my friend. And I can trust on a Hunter. My name is Ichika, my world is changing.
1. Losing family

Hey guys.

Welcome to my rewrite of my fourth story. To the other end of the world.

As the rewrite, this is a Hackers story. Those who're following me for a while know what they are. Those who're new, well, read and find out.

This was a ride for me to write, I hope you'll experience the same thing while reading. Enjoy it and on the end of the chapter, there is more information.

By the request of a reader, although it had been a while, I decided to split up the very large chapter and make smaller ones to which are more fitting.

Because I wanted to add something, I also got a new chapter on this so you guys didn't get notes for nothing.

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Chifuyu stood in front of her class. She was there, psychically. Mentally is another question. She hardly coped with the loss in her class. Much less did the students. Sure, students dropped out, graduated or anything like that. But not this time.

This time was different. A student went MIA. It has been nearly three months and still, the school was like this. Lessons were stopped, people broke down. It was somewhat a wonder she nor Ichika broke down.

It was not just any student. No, a student with a personal unit and if that wasn't worse enough, it was a male student. A fucking male student.

Now, you're wondering why that's so weird?

Well, because normally spoken, there are no male IS students. Hell, there are no males at all in the Infinite Stratos. Clearly, there are.

Ichika Orimura was the first male discovered. She was her little brother and while not showing any affection, she cared a whole lot for her brother.

She was somewhat worried, although she would never admit it. It was also the same reason she was relieved when a male student alongside Ichika appeared. He was a real male. Not a dress up like Charlotte Dunois but a man.

At first, she didn't trust him but she began to care for Mattheus as well. Not as a student but as a friend. Mattheus was twenty, meaning he was between Ichika and her, regarding age. He had his issues as had everyone in the school.

If she could be honest, Mattheus was at least a bit sane. He didn't hit Ichika with a wooden or metal sword, he didn't throw a giant spear to him, he didn't snipe him nor he used assault rifles on him. (Well, that last one was her order)

Even despite that, Mattheus had another part of him.

One revealed in the second semester. Joel Pearce.

A twelve-year-old Irish street rat who was his Designer. For six months, she wondered who was the man, only known by his name.

Turned out that it was a boy of twelve who made Mattheus' IS Lavathenian. And that was a big surprise.

By letting her curiosity taking the better of her, eager to know of him, she turned to someone whose legend and infamy was equal to her own.

Most persons would be shocked to know that there were monsters who had the same power like her. She could think of several persons herself.

But the person she thought of was someone out of proportion. Not only because of the fact someone like him lived. The scariest part of him?

He wasn't called a monster. He was something a grade worse. Devil.

The Flemish Devil. Kerlongsj Orlejov.

Now, he wasn't a bad guy per say. Sure, Kerlongsj was strong, ruthless, unforgiving in a fight and he had a monstrous amount of power. But the man himself was nothing alike.

She knew how he was. His personality, he was so different from her.

Chifuyu had seen warriors. Warriors were like humans. They came from humans after all. You had different types and sets of them. Like, humans.

But Kerlongsj was something she has never seen before.

A hacker.

Sure, she heard of them. A group of fighters who had the guts to stand up to Infinite Stratos. And who were the only ones who could?

And for a lot of countries, the argument they had Chifuyu Orimura, a world renowned pilot wasn't enough. She had seen Kerlongsj, more than once. And every time, the gap between the two closed. Now, she didn't know if Kerlongsj had more or less power than her.

She couldn't even see. For her, Kerlongsj looked like he was enough to take her on.

She had never feared an opponent, she had nobody who could match her. She could and fought pilots using just her excessive martial arts and a bunch of katana.

But the Brunhilde knew that wouldn't be enough to stop Kerlongsj. Or better said. It depended on him. If he decided to use his hacker skills, she was dead.

If he decided to his conventional weapons, she could have a chance. Kerlongsj had no message for honor, rules or anything like that. He fought and killed like the warrior he was.

She once taught Ichika that the weight of the sword was the weight of a man's life. For Kerlongsj, he taught his little brother that the weight of a life was to be determined by the weapon. For the Flemish Devil, he used two thirty centimeter long hidden blades attached to his wrists. She had fought him.

Not serious at all, the two fought with their weapons **but** they had not the intention to kill each other.

Somewhere, deep down. She hoped she prayed that Kerlongsj had maybe saved Mattheus. She was stupid to hope that. He had helped her with Ichika but disappeared before she could speak him. At this point.

The death of Mattheus began to break her as it broke the class as it broke the school. Mattheus had a bigger impact on everyone. She feared that her actions caused his deaths. She had blamed Ichika or the others but in the end, all of them were responsible.

Chifuyu sighed, half hearty, the lesson had to begin.

"Okay, everyone. Before we begin this class. I have to say something. It's about Adjzof. I know we're all sad with what happened but this isn't what he wanted for us. I know all of us had a link with him or with Joel. I know we all feel guilty. But this is life. People die. Mattheus didn't deserve to die now but he did. We have no choice but to accept that. I want to stress that this is the ISA. We are all pilots. We have to be strong. We have Phantom Task. They have killed him. And I want you all to be able to fight him. Understood?"

"Hai." The class told their teacher. Chifuyu could feel the class wasn't meaning it.

They would grow out of it. Still, it would take a long time. Mattheus death has hurt one person the most. She looked at Ichika, who was absent. In normal circumstances, she'd punish him for not paying attention. This time, she wouldn't.

From everyone in the school, Chifuyu couldn't tell who took Mattheus death worse. Ichika Orimura, her little brother who began to see Mattheus, the Hunter, as a brother and friend of his own or Natasha Fairs. The Silver Gospel pilot. She became Mattheus lover when she came to the ISA.

She had taken his death as a personal matter.

She was sent to spy on him but eventually fell in love with him. Her honey trap failed, sent back to the USA and Chifuyu had yet to receive news from her.

"Okay, I see this isn't going to work. So like the other teachers, I will postpone this class. Tomorrow, this won't be the case. Everyone dismissed, Orimura, you're staying." Ichika snapped out.

He was staying. Did his sis want to kill him for not paying attention? Did she want to talk about something of Madoka?

He didn't ask her of Madoka. Last time, it didn't work. This time, it wouldn't work.

The girls stood up and walked away. Houki, Charlotte, Laura and Cecilia looked over to him. In their eyes, there was mixed admiration, compassion, and sadness. Chifuyu scoffed them off and the girls left.

Maya got the message and left the classroom, following the girls.

Ichika sat down, not even looking his sister in the eye. He was shocked to find out that his older sister, the only family member he had, was his teacher.

She was strict, she was cold, frankly, she didn't like kids.

Therefore, he was glad to have Mattheus. A sane guy who he could talk to, who could relate to him, who gave him advice.

Sure, he understood his older sister's position. She couldn't take favorites. She was a teacher. And with Mattheus, he didn't frankly need it.

But that was then, this is now. This is without Mattheus. This is without his brother.

"Ichika," Chifuyu spoke in a soft, nearly unnatural tone. His sister hardly spoke that way. Even when Mattheus has shot out the sky, she didn't speak like that. She had never spoken like that. But now. She did.

She called him by his first name. Ichika learned to pick up small things. Sure, if Mattheus didn't actually tell him that there were seven girls chasing him, he wouldn't pick up.

It's not done to tell secrets of a maiden hearts to the object of their affections but for Mattheus, if these maidens wanted to kill Ichika each time, their actions were more immoral than his own.

Ichika looked up to his sister.

"What is it, Orimura-sensei?" The question wasn't the point. The hardness, the tone. It didn't have Ichika's normal cheerful voice. It was like every bit of happiness got out of the boy. He had never been this sad and Chifuyu knew that.

The time Houki left because her sister introduced the IS. It nearly killed Ichika of sadness. And she wasn't there. If it wasn't for Rin, crazy, over the top Rin, she didn't want to know what could have happened.

Ichika valued Rin's as Houki's friendship very close. He was happy the two were at the school.

But Mattheus was something different.

A male like a female can make best friends. These can be girls or boys. The difference is how you stand in it.

Chifuyu didn't know how but for her, Mattheus became Ichika's best male friend. That was a difference from the girls.

Mattheus and he chatted over life, over questions, they talked about games and music and what other things. Chifuyu realized very soon that Mattheus was something Ichika would have needed a long time.

A mentor.

And the fact Mattheus called Ichika brother was the right choice.

Ichika had never someone who died. Who was gone forever? He never went through that. This was the first time he would never someone again. No matter what he would do, no matter what he did. Mattheus was dead. Gone forever.

Ichika felt responsible. Like it was his fault. If he didn't turn his back to the enemy, he would have his brother. He couldn't do anything else. The bomb went off. His fear that his friends and older sister were dead were too real. But they weren't.

He should have known that Laura AIC would save them. But Mattheus didn't have that. Mattheus was shot down.

Sacrificed himself to save Ichika. He talked about the fact that if he died, there were fewer people to suffer. Ichika spat on those words his brother said.

If he knew who suffered. Ichika suffered. Houki suffered. Rin suffered. Laura suffered. Cecilia suffered. Charlotte suffered. Chifuyu suffered. Maya suffered. Kanzashi suffered. Tatenashi suffered. The whole fucking school suffered by his death.

Ichika saw his sister walking to him. He was prepared for a punishment. Where he wasn't prepared for was his older sister wrapping her arms around him, pushing him in a hug. He knew how strong his sister was, he knew how fierce she could be.

He didn't expect the hug to be soft, so calm, so serene. "Ichika." Her voice was cracking like she could break in tears. He had never seen Chifuyu so venerable. So hurt.

Of course. How fucking stupid he had been? He had no idea how she must suffer. She had lost a student, a friend as well.

Why the hell didn't he pick that up? Why didn't he comfort his sister when she needed him? Why didn't he help her?

Before he could utter a word, she spoke before him. Cutting him off. His mouth was open but he couldn't speak.

"Ichika, listen. I know you're hurt but this isn't good for you. You're killing yourself with this." She spoke whispering in his ear. Ichika broke out in tears.

"I miss him, Chifuyu-nee. I miss him so badly. I don't want it. I don't want to say goodbye to him. I want him here. With us. In class, in training, in talking. I miss Mattheus. I miss my brother. I need to be strong for everyone. But I."

He broke out in tears, crying on his older sister's shoulder, breaking out his shell. His stupor who was killing him for a week, it broke out now. Chifuyu held her little brother close to him.

"Ichika, I know you're hurt. You see yourself as Knight. You cannot waver but if you don't find a way, you will fall." She held her brother close.

"I just. I just don't find it fair. Mattheus went through all that. He was killed at so many times. It was like he couldn't die. With the Golem, with Laura, with the attacks at the play, with everything. But I don't believe he is gone." Chifuyu held her brother close and let him cry.

"I know Ichika, I know." She held her brother clutched to her chest. She vowed. If her brother would go after Phantom Task, she would stand next to him. And so would his friends.

Chifuyu hated it but she held her brother close and enjoyed the soft moment that was so rare. Of course, she enjoyed the moment because she was his older sister and that it was rare the two were alone. Suddenly, Maya stormed in the classroom.

It was hard to tell if her blush came from the run or from the fact that she saw Chifuyu (who she secretly admired) hugging her younger brother.

Instead Ichika off, Chifuyu gently let Ichika go and glared at the green haired woman.

"Well, Yamada-kun, is there a reason why you storm in the classroom while I had strictly ordered you to stay away? Oh and I'd really appreciate if you didn't tell anyone." The ominous voice of the Brunhilde came out with the cracking of knuckles.

Her coming words would be the detriment of her life.

"Orimura-sensei." How could she speak normally when she had ran like hell was on her heels?

"Does the name Anaton Orlejov ring a bell?" Chifuyu's eyes shot open and Ichika pondered on the name.

"Orlejov?" The male pilot muttered. "Chifuyu-nee, did you … told me that.. name before?" Chifuyu glanced at him and gave him a nod.

"You remember Kerlongsj Orlejov I told you about? The leader of the Legal Hackers?"

Even Maya didn't know a lot of the hackers but the name Kerlongsj said something. Ichika wasn't someone who knew of the hackers as well. But his sister told him of Kerlongsj.

Ichika couldn't imagine someone who was as strong if not stronger than his older sister but Chifuyu assured him that Kerlongsj could easily match her.

Ichika noticed something when Chifuyu told him about the man. While she told him of him, she didn't speak with fear nor she looked down like what she normally did with her opponents. From what he noticed, she spoke like she respected him as equal.

Now, unlike most women, Chifuyu did not look down on men like most do nowadays. She respected them as much they respected her.

But there was a difference. She didn't respect Kerlongsj as man or human being. She respected him as a warrior who was equal to her own. Ichika gulped when she told him what he did and what he could do.

There was one question that came up.

"Chifuyu-nee, that man must be a monster to have matched you?" Chifuyu solemnly shook her head.

"He isn't a monster Ichika, Kerlongsj nickname is the Flemish Devil."

Chifuyu's mind clicked. She realized who Anaton was.

"That is Kerlongsj Orlejov's little brother. What of him?"

Maya gulped. Like Ichika, she heard the respect Chifuyu had when she spoke the name.

"The principal has agreed to let Anaton in the school as a prisoner of war." Chifuyu fell back and if it wasn't for Ichika to catch her, she would have had a painful landing.

"Chifuyu-nee?" He asked, unsure of what that meant. A war. But there was no war around the globe.

"Ichika, from now on. I will train you personally. And Maya, drive up the defense in the whole school. Teachers will patrol in the evenings and all trips outside the school have been suspended until further notice. Get to it."

"Yiiee," Maya said and she ran away to her orders.

Ichika looked at his sister who stood back up.

"Ichika, I want you to listen very carefully." The soft mood was gone. Chifuyu was back to normal.

No, not normal. It was like she became twice as serious.

He held his mouth and listened.

"I want you to listen and ask later." He gave a nod.

"If what I think is true, we're going to have a war on our hands with both of us at the front line. And we'll be facing Kerlongsj if this will continue. I will pick from your room for training. For now, dismissed." Ichika nodded.

"Chifuyu-nee."

"I will answer your questions Ichika in training. Understood?" Ichika nodded and left.

Chifuyu looked outside. She was standing for a dilemma. She could call Kerlongsj telling him she knew where his brother was. She knew how he was. He was less reckless than her so he could take it well.

Could. Like Chifuyu, Kerlongsj would go through everything to keep his brother safe.

In Belgium.

At that place, a group of soldiers didn't know that. But they had bigger issues. Namely finding that out.

The Nanite Hackers.

Now, this group was always living in some sort of fear. The fear to have pilots, the fear to be invaded, the fear to lose families. But they learned to live with that. And with the last years, they just could live.

There weren't that many pilots who knew of them. Most low ranked (and that were even holders of personal units) didn't know of the hackers.

Of course, they were skirmishes and augments, but nowadays, it was calm.

But with the fixation of it WAS calm. Right now, the hackers were facing a difficult time.

Normally, the hackers were just doing their own stuff. Training their youngsters or themselves, talking how to work but at this point, everyone, going from to the schoolers to the veterans, side by side they were working their asses off.

Not just only the hackers. Every organization, from organized crime to private military, everyone with just the slightest connection to the hackers were now busy working weeks straight for one goal.

And while it would seem stupid that a few million men were working for the same goal, nobody questioned the orders.

It was to find to back Anaton Orlejov, the Devil's little brother.

Kerlongsj had become the leader of the Legal Nanite Hackers at the age of seventeen. Most knew him under the name of the Flemish Devil. Most hackers as even older soldiers wouldn't associate the name as Devil with a guy like Kerlongsj.

May it be a high-ranking general or a low foot soldier, Kerlongsj treated everyone with the respect they all deserved from him. He was joking, he could take a joke and he never threatened. But more of the older soldiers knew exactly what it meant to piss him off. They had seen what he did when he became the leader of the Hackers.

The Hackers respected Azalof that he appointed Kerlongsj. But some disagreed. Kerlongsj was accused of being too young, too immature, to lead a cause.

In three months' time, Kerlongsj made the Metal Claw. A PMC built of remains of old armies. Soldiers, superiors, everyone who had a reason to resent countries was brought in that group. Kerlongsj destroyed the group who had questioned him, not showing any mercy. In every fight, he leads them. No Hackers besides him.

That was the point the name as the Flemish Devil was born.

Of course, legends have more tales than truth. But the gist remained the same. Kerlongsj had become a Devil.

Now it depended on what pissing him off meant. You could make him angry and talked that out before you have a match which you would survive without too many remaining injuries but this was different. Kerlongsj was now not just angry, he was livid.

And that was noticeable.

It was understandable that Kerlongsj was angry but you could call it a miracle that he didn't kill anyone. Jack, his keeper, and loyal Jackdaw had flown away as soon the reach of Anaton's disappearance was noticed and settled on Denzel's shoulder.

He and Thomas were two of Kerlongsj gang and his oldest and best friends. Without Jack, Kerlongsj couldn't access his powers. Or more precisely, he could just access one percent of his power. That was enough to get fourteen S ranked hackers down.

Denzel looked at the door where his leader's powers came out.

He looked to his brother, Thomas. Both gulped.

They were asked to report the news. They understood the lower soldiers. They would have the highest chance Kerlongsj would not just kill them if they told him they haven't found out where Anaton was staying.

With the pressure of the highest chance. Kerlongsj could kill them and not even care. Both hated to admit but their leader had some serious issues. They understood why he cared so much about Anaton and why that was so important. But it didn't change the fact that it was still dangerous.

Denzel knocked at the door.

"Enter." If Denzel was in his jesting mood, which wasn't the case, it was like Kerlongsj would have said "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." But he wasn't in the mood.

They opened the door. The room was in the dark. Even without light, they knew where they had to go. Kerlongsj sat in his chair. A long leather one, comfortable.

He looked in the eyes. His green-grey eyes that were normally jovial were cold and harsh. It didn't fit him but given everything, it was now certainly the only look they would have.

"And?" If Kerlongsj said one word when soldiers entered, it was bad news. Denzel took a breath. They would fight their captain if they wanted to live. It depended on him.

"We haven't found Anaton, Kerlongsj."

"Captain." The Devil cut his friend words off.

"Sorry?"

"You call me captain." Okay, this was bad. Normally spoken, most soldiers talked to him as captain. The higher ones, including them, they were the generals right beneath Kerlongsj, called him by his first name.

If he cut his best friends off by ordering them to call him with his rank, it meant Kerlongsj was really in a bad mood.

"Did you find Anaton?" Denzel sighed.

"No, and captain. We came with a request." Kerlongsj looked up. His hands were before his mouth, his finger entwined.

He waited on what his members would ask.

"Captain. The men have been working for three weeks, most of them have slept for maybe fourteen hours on this week. They're up. We request you gave us at least two days as rest." Denzel prayed he didn't go too far.

Luckily, Kerlongsj was still sitting in his chair.

"So let me get this straight? You're not closer to find Anaton. I have suspended everything else, every other task is on hold until my brother is found. There is no sign of him. Three weeks and a few million men have been searching! There is no clue, nothing to be traced back. And yet, you dare ask me to give these pieces of shit some rest. No, there will be no rest. They will work on and no rest at all. They will go on. If they stop they die. I have given them an order! And they will fulfill that!"

"I do not allow you to insult them." Denzel didn't speak, Thomas did.

"Our soldiers have been working for three weeks, desperate for finding your brother back. They have begged us to find your brother back. We don't have the energy anymore. If someone finds out about our state, we're done for. We can be overrun any second. We can't even put a fight! We've done what we could. It may not be enough for you but it was everything we had."

Thomas paused. He might have gone too far but he didn't stop. "Kerlongsj. Our man can't go on. Give us at least two days that they can rest. On three weeks, what are two days?" Kerlongsj walked to him. Thomas feared he went too far.

Kerlongsj took off his hidden blades. It could mean two things.

One. He did those off as a mean not to use them.

Two. He did those off to use his powers.

He walked slowly, slumping. The minutes crept by, the sounds of him walking to him.

Denzel and Thomas made their weapons. Kerlongsj shook his head.

They stopped but were still awaiting an attack.

"Thomas. I have been working for three weeks. I expect our soldiers to do nothing less. I am the leader of the Legal Hackers. I call out the shots."

"Well, you can give your men the order that they can stop searching." A fourth voice came out. They turned to see a man standing.

He didn't wear the Hackers uniform. Instead of a light blue sweater with gray pants, he wore a black one with matching pants.

Meaning this was an active Agent of the Metal Claw. And right now, Kerlongsj had just one interesting agent with those stats.

It's nothing easier to change when you're a dead man. And this man was called MIA. Adjzof Mattheus. Formerly a student of the ISA. One of the male pilots. Mattheus was now an Agent for the worst enemies of the Infinite Stratos.

Kerlongsj looked at him. Mattheus had a certain way of working with his captain. He wasn't a worker behind the computer. He would go out and search on the street.

Kerlongsj normally forbade that but because Mattheus often wore a white mask, he was allowed. It was a mask an old friend for him. It was a mask from some anime his friend was fond off. A shounen manga. He didn't care but he accepted the gift. And right now, it was certainly useful.

Mattheus took it off.

From afar, he and Kerlongsj could be related. But there were some differences. As starters, Kerlongsj hair was darker than Mattheus'. Mattheus were blue, Kerlongsj had green gray. Their faces also differed. It was just not the same.

And Kerlongsj had more scars. While Mattheus had something on his face. Five brown rings and one white. It was not just normal piercings. It was the closed form of Lavathenian. Mattheus personal IS unit.

Mattheus lived by a certain code. I make my own luck. But right now, he was pushing that luck very far. When Mattheus got MIA from being shot down, he was transported from Japan to Flanders. He had been training for a while. Under Kerlongsj.

Now, Mattheus would never become as good as Kerlongsj. But he was certainly growing. The training was hellish, harsh, brutal but he learned and grew. He became stronger and faster.

Kerlongsj tried to teach him other ways and slowly, the Hunter grew. He became stronger, faster and deadlier.

Mattheus had a point he'd never become a soldier. But he became a Hunter. He was called like that before. Now, it was the right thing to call him.

After his training, he went out. Like Kerlongsj, he had an own goal. Namely wiping Phantom Task from the face of the earth. And it was looking he was actually doing that.

He could go out for weeks and come back with the new that seven cells were dead. And that was his average. Kerlongsj had a liking for him.

Like himself, Mattheus didn't take crap from anyone, he was serious, good and mentally very strong. He didn't enjoy the killing but he certainly enjoyed the Hunt.

"What do you mean, Agent Adjzof?"

Mattheus smiled and from leaning at the wall, he walked to his captain. He took out a file from his backpack.

He offered him the map. Kerlongsj took it, politely, smiling at the man. He opened it and the facial expressions were to kill for.

Which Mattheus did.

"I have been gone through a lot. It was huge. I have been places I hope I never will go to again." Kerlongsj read it.

His mouth fell open.

"They're keeping at the Infinite Stratos Academy?" The Flemish Devil was horrified and relieved. If Anaton was at the ISA, it meant that Chifuyu was there. If she was there, he could hope for some good treatment.

But if he was there, why did Chifuyu not contact him? Did she betray him? Their relationship was built on favors but Kerlongsj cared for her.

"If you're wondering why it took us so long, it's because the ones who kidnapped him kept Anaton rarely one place at the day. They transported him by road. A lot of officials were in it. I have been tracking him down. I have seen him." Kerlongsj glare was deadly.

"Why didn't save him if that was the case? Why didn't you even contact me?" Mattheus sighed.

"First of all, I'm best working alone or with Joel. Secondly, I couldn't do it because it was a patron. I couldn't make a plan. I haven't been an Agent that is strong, experienced and good enough for that." Kerlongsj lifted him at the sleeve.

Mattheus' breath was cut off.

"So it was just found to let him go every time?" Kerlongsj made a fist but felt a hand on his arm. He turned scowling to Denzel.

"It's enough. We have found him. But he made a point? Why stop now? And why by road? Wouldn't a plane be faster." Mattheus sighed.

His year at the ISA brought him up a lot.

"By the road, it was impossible for us to track us, even with all of us. It was by my luck, that I make, that I stumbled across him. But every time, they would move. They would only stop at one place. I just had to find out which. And may I ask you captain, how should I free him? You have forbidden me to use my IS to keep the idea I'm dead, right. I had my orders."

Kerlongsj let him go.

"Agent, from everyone I have, you have the most information on this. Why would they stop at the ISA?"

Mattheus looked to Kerlongsj. He noticed that Longsword and Backbow looked at him. They didn't have a liking for the young Hunter. They found him too green despite being four years older than him.

He taught them wrong.

And they listened as well.

"The ISA is international ground. Meaning the students don't belong to any organization, group or country. It also means that if we attack that school, the whole world and you three know, I'm not joking, would go after us. Besides that, Chifuyu Orimura is there and you know that is another reason. Sir, I have an idea why she hasn't told us and why they're keeping him there. You want to know?"

Kerlongsj went to his chair, sitting down, relieving the other four beings in the room. Jack flew to his shoulder, happy his master was back to normal.

"First of all. I think Orimura hasn't told us is because Anaton is being brought there two days ago. She didn't have time and I think she's afraid of you coming there to free him. She fears the life of her own brother. The second reason is beside the international ground, that we have to play the game by their way."

Kerlongsj spat on the ground. "Goddamn, those old whores. So what? They want to lure us out. You believe they want?" Mattheus shook his head.

"I picked up a lot more. From what I learned, the pilots are arrogant enough to have a match. They want you to fight. You can guess the reason yourself." Kerlongsj pinched his nose bridge.

"How would they contact me? Belgium okay, but our organization stands loose from the country. We live here but we don't belong to them." Denzel looked at the Agent.

"You believe that they want Kerlongsj to fight so?"

"They think a pilot can defeat him and they think by killing him, they'll execute Anaton. Without a leader of our cause, you can guess what happens next."

Thomas spat on the ground. "We become slaves."

Mattheus nodded.

"And they will find a way to contact us. Believe me. They will have a way to contact you." Kerlongsj grunted.

"How do you think they'd do that, Agent?" Mattheus grinned.

"If you ask me, Chifuyu calls you and she'll ask you to come over." Kerlongsj looked at him and he mimicked the grin.

The Devil and the Hunter had the idea things were getting a lot more interesting. And they would be in the first line for the show. Kerlongsj noticed his generals were breathing again.

He waved them off.

"It's okay, tell the lads that I'm not longer searching. Everyone has a week off for today." Denzel pumped his fist and Thomas had a relief breath. This meant that the hackers search was finally over.

Kerlongsj had only threatened, beaten up, nearly killed but not really and seriously wounded about five hundred people. Not a bad day, right?

* * *

And that's it for now. I hope you enjoyed this small first piece. Trust me, there is more to come and I hope you'll enjoy more.


	2. Establashed and lost links

Yo, second chapter. Not too much altered here as I found this one okay.

* * *

Chifuyu had hoped, prayed and wished that they were wrong. They couldn't, right? They couldn't capture Anaton Orlejov, Kerlongsj's little brother.

If they did, it was a surprise that the academy was still in one piece. She knew and saw what Kerlongsj could do.

For being interested in the Hackers, she looked up how it worked. If those guys powers were fuelled by emotions, strong and negative (in this adult world), Kerlongsj would now have all the power in the world.

For an instance, she felt horrible for the young man. She was an older sibling herself, scratch that. Like she did with Ichika, he raised Anaton. For her, Ichika was the most important person in her life. She could imagine what Kerlongsj must go through.

Hell, even she went through it. When Ichika was kidnapped during her second Mondo Grosso champion, she nearly lost her younger brother. The feelings of her heart killing her, fearing her younger brother. The only blood relative she had been killed. It was one of the few times Chifuyu Orimura feared something.

She couldn't imagine living through that fear for three weeks and being sane. That was her greatest fear. She knew Kerlongsj wasn't hundred percent normal. He was insane, that was just a known fact. But insanity didn't mean a bad thing.

He wasn't a bloodthirsty psychopath, a stone blood killer and even if those two above were true, Kerlongsj wasn't a sadistic brute.

Sure, she saw him killing people, he destroyed Infinite Stratos pilots and was a walking death machine. But she knew of his powers and she began to respect that for a part. Kerlongsj was just good at the killing. The young man didn't bat an eye on the fact he destroyed countless of armies, he cut enough people to have thousands of liters of blood on his hands.

Kerlongsj killed as a warrior. Somewhere she smiled. Kerlongsj was a lot but if she could be honest, only he could give her an honest run for her money. He was strong, skilled and he knew how to fight. But more than that, he was somewhat educated in the old ways.

In the world she came from, respect for the old ways and traditions, that was a rarity to come by. He was one of the guys who had some basic respect as a killer for his prey.

She still found him too young despite being two years younger than her. But that wasn't everything. Kerlongsj also showed her that his cause was not a group of leaderless, bloodthirsty, mindless and maybe most importantly testosterone filled men but just a bunch of misfits who just wanted to get on their lives.

Most of the lower soldiers didn't want anything else but living a life of simple means. Having a wife, being around children, comradery.

The last thing these men wanted was a war which would cripple their cause.

Chifuyu couldn't help but look at what he did in all those years. She was surprised that after the death of Azalof, his uncle, best friend, and father, he wanted that everything stopped. She just hoped it would be the same case now.

Like she pondered previously, she just knew that Kerlongsj must care as much about Anaton as she did for Ichika.

The biggest difference was that Kerlongsj was in a leader position and that she was just a simple teacher. She didn't have the means to go after Ichika. She would have sent his harem after him.

God, how she wished that Mattheus was still alive. If what she thought was true and that he was being trained by Kerlongsj, she somewhere found it surprising he didn't take Tatenashi on his own.

Chifuyu could take out Tatenashi like she was a fly. If Mattheus was trained by the only person that could defeat her, he should be able to take care of Ichika plus his little group just fine.

Which gave her a sigh. She had to revise her opinion on Kerlongsj. She couldn't believe he let his soldier die like that. Normally spoken, she would have thought he would go after his soldier and save him. He didn't.

And she wouldn't forgive him for that.

"Chifuyu-nee." A soft voice spoke and she looked to Ichika. Raising her hand, she brought it softly down on Ichika's head.

"That's Orimura-sensei. And what is it?" Ichika looked to his side.

"You missed the door for Anaton's cell." He said in a somewhat calm, deadpan but mostly annoyed tone when he pointed at the door. Chifuyu looked at it and indeed, she had missed the cell door.

Right now they were in the cells. Why would this school need a cell anyway? Oh, right.

She taught at the most idiotic place on the planet. The Infinite Stratos academy. Somewhere she snickered, a summer or two ago, she spent around Kerlongsj. It must have been the summer between the two semesters. She didn't dare to ask of Mattheus as she didn't want to spoil it.

He gave it such a ridiculous name but it fitted the school. The student body is more nuts than a kleptomaniac squirrel and she couldn't help but agree. The school was insane.

She had been teaching there for a while but she admitted.

The school was completely and fucking loopy. It really didn't help she was the Brunhilde. The worshipping, the calling names, the way they treated her. Like she was some sort of goddess or princess.

Chifuyu sighed, musing on the dialogue playing in her head and knocked at the door. She didn't know why she took Ichika with him but glancing at him, she realized why.

While often with victims of one gender violence like rape, they weren't soon to trust persons of the same gender.

She didn't dare deny that Anaton might have been raped. She vowed to herself. If some women had taken his innocence (as it was stupid to call it purity because it wasn't in any way the fault of the woman if she would force a young boy to push his dick inside her pussy), she would kill that bitch. She felt that as the basic decency towards Kerlongsj.

Besides, she would be doing that woman a favor. Kerlongsj would brutally mutilate her while she would offer the sweetness of death with a sharp cut.

Ichika looked at his sister. She had fallen quiet after they made their way to the place. She would really have something to explain. The look in his eyes made it very clear that he wouldn't take no for an answer.

She could hide Madoka from him but the hackers were different. And he deserved to know those parts of her. She didn't look really forward to it.

While Ichika was as dense as a rock to his own romantic issues, he was really sharp to others and easily mistaking those. The relationship she had with Kerlongsj would be a lot of fun to him.

But right now, they didn't really have fun. They heard a scream coming from behind. Ichika paled on it. It was more like a primal roar of a beast rather than the scream of a man.

Chifuyu didn't wait and she kicked open the door. Ichika didn't look that surprised. He knew how strong his sister was and what she could do. Kicking a steel door open with the force of a foot. Hey, she was the fucking Brunhilde after all.

She walked in the room and Ichika was happy he didn't have lunch. He felt like throwing up. "Chifuyu-nee, if you don't mind." he turned back, leaving the horrific scene.

Indeed, it was horrible. She saw three IS pilots in the place and one naked kid, save for his underwear. She felt like tearing those pieces of shit apart and unlike what most would believe she wasn't talking about the hacker.

She walked to the supposed leader. She had short raven blue hair and dark green eyes. Judging her figure, she was in her late twenties. She had a slim yet firm body with a generous C cup. By her face, Chifuyu made a safe bet she was a Japanese pilot with mixed blood. She wore a blue piloting suit and on her hand was the closed up form of an Uchigane bracelet.

Chifuyu looked over to the two other pilots. Like the first one, they were young pilots, grown up in the idea they were the supreme gender. Chifuyu looked over to them.

One had short, violent red hair with matching eyes. She didn't have that much of a chest but her legs were grown well. She was a bit sturdier than the first one. The last one had long white hair, cold blue eyes, a slimmer figure and she had a sadistic smile on her face.

Chifuyu couldn't see her smile nor her eyes as she was busy cutting a knife in Anaton's small body.

The Brunhilde felt like she was looking to a pilot torturing Kerlongsj or a younger version of him. Anaton was just at the beginning of puberty and unlike his brother, he didn't have a figure. Kerlongsj wasn't a body builder but he was by no means unattractive. A pity he was a bit of a prude as Kerlongsj often preferred to wear sweaters or shirts.

She even had seen him wearing one while spending a day on the beach during good weather. (That was something for another day and not something she would tell Ichika)

But back to Anaton. The young boy was tall for his age, had a meager figure and couldn't be heavy at all. He didn't have any resistance when the knife entered his body. To be precise on his belly, making a long vertical cut.

She walked over to the women, pushing the leader away. She wasn't really prepared for it. Okay, she knew someone of the academy would come and that person would supervise the operation but that wouldn't mean too many problems.

Of course, Chifuyu Orimura could be that person but even if that was the case, she, the might Brunhilde, would agree with this.

That's why she didn't expect Chifuyu to walk over to the men. The redhead got in the way, not even looking who she wanted to stop. Chifuyu had no times nor patience for these petty things. Besides, she guessed it was nothing more than even to kick aside the pilot who had been torturing a child.

The pilot crashed into the wall. Chifuyu's instincts as a warrior didn't die down as she avoided a cut from the white haired one. She twisted the knife upside down, terrifying for a boy tied up to a wall, not for a woman standing in front of her.

She was a sadist. Not a warrior, she didn't have any movements nor footwork. Chifuyu leaned away for an attack, pushed the wrist aside. She was far from done. She chopped the neck but before the dreams of unconsciousness could take her away, a sharp knee in her stomach nearly killed her. She let the woman go.

Her body went limp. Ichika had turned when he heard the crash. He approved of what his sister did. Not because he was a man but because he was human. You just don't tie up a child, torture, beat, starve and electrocute him

Chifuyu knew they all did that. She saw him and noticed the wound didn't close. As Anaton was a Hacker and his power was meant to healing. The fact that blood still came down, even after Chifuyu had stopped his attacker, it meant that his powers were controlled by them.

Ichika glanced at her, looking in admiration, approval, and pride. Chifuyu allowed herself to smile. She pointed at him.

"Ichika. Go. Go look for him. I'm assuming he'll be calming down faster if you pull him down instead if I'd do that." Ichika nodded and he ran to the young boy.

He looked at the machine and first shot it down. By blasting it open with his shotgun. He looked at it. A lovely weapon. A replica of a sawn-off shotgun. It had two bullets, both got out at the same time. Unlike most real-life ones, he didn't have to reload those. He smiled at it.

It was an old design of… He paused knowing very well what happened. The shotgun came with a Knife. A Hunters Knife.

The shotgun was based on Chasseur, Mattheus' most preferred long range weapons. One was a pistol and the other was a long range bolt action sniper rifle.

He got them from Mattheus as a gift and the shotgun as the knife saved his ass in more than one way.

He walked to Anaton. He cut off the chains and captured the small body in his arms. Anaton was bleeding, shivering and badly wounded. He looked over to Chifuyu who had the same Orimura like the glare in their eyes. She had to admit. The boy was learning.

He stood up with Anaton in his arms. In his clouded mind, he couldn't really tell who was carrying him. He could only feel the pain fading away and his tears going off his face. Chifuyu looked at Ichika and her younger brother was looking at her.

Her glare was one of the fiercest she could muster but Ichika knew that at this point, she wasn't directing it at him. Ichika walked away with Anaton in his arms. The blue-haired pilot wanted to get in the way.

"Where do you…" She couldn't speak as he kicked her aside. One knee up. Still, with the boy in his hands, he gave her a roundhouse kick. She flew away. She glared at him.

How dared he? How dared he kick away a woman of high society? A supreme being. A person of heavenly origins. A woman who had ascended to the level of an angel. Chifuyu walked in the way. She glared at the woman.

And the pilot gulped. She had heard legends of the Brunhilde. But she didn't understand it. Why would she protect that little punk?

Of course, she would understand she's protecting her younger brother. It was somewhat a rumor she was a little bit of a brocon. But that was Ichika, why would she protect that punk? He was a Hacker. A piece of expendable dirt. Not even worth of the term man.

He was beyond a second rated civilian. He was a rebel who went against the heavenly order. But most of all. He was Kerlongsj Orlejov's little brother. He was the little brother of the Flemish Devil.

The pilot looked at Chifuyu who let her ominous aura come out.

"Could you please explain me something?" It was like the room got placed in Antarctica. The pilot trembled and wanted to move. She thought of activating her IS. Her key to the supremacy. But she knew. Chifuyu Orimura could take on pilots with a set of katana and her usual skill.

"W… Wh… What… is … that… Orim… Orimura-sama?"

The pilot brought out. Chifuyu could kill her and who would go after her? Her family. They have broken with her years ago. The Japanese government. Get real. She was Chifuyu Orimura. The Brunhilde. She was the pride of the nation.

"Can you tell me and you can keep it in simple terms so your brain can keep up." She paused to let the insult sink in.

Chifuyu turned to Anaton.

"Why this boy is looking like that, naked, bloodied and beaten that would have let nearly to his death? Since when do we treat our prisoners like that?" Chifuyu kept her voice down. Normally, she wouldn't speak like that. She would save that for Ichika.

But right now, she didn't care. If she had to use her influence and that would maybe go down to stand up to Kerlongsj little brother, so be it.

She owned that much to Kerlongsj. Scratch that, it was nothing more than basic decency.

"Well. Eh. I."

The woman was lost for words. Chifuyu knelt down to her with a frosty smile.

"I'm still waiting for my answer." The pilot felt a dampness at her legs. She had never faced anything so frightening.

Chifuyu looked down, took a heavy breath and stood up.

"Seems like I won't get an answer. I'll be sure to speak to your commander."

"She was it." The pilot had no interest of losing her job.

Chifuyu paused and looked at her.

"Your commander gave you the order to beat him up?" The woman shook her head.

Albeit still angry, Chifuyu was now a bit confused. She waited until the pilot could speak again.

"I… We received orders from our commander. She told us that from the top that we had to beat and do anything we wanted to him. She didn't give us a reason. We… We couldn't ask." Chifuyu paused, internally thought of killing her or leaving her to Kerlongsj.

She would be interested to see this.

"Did she tell you who gave that order?" The woman looked her in the eyes. A real feat after last time. She nodded.

"Tekerishio Sarashiki." Chifuyu blinked and looked over to Ichika.

"Sarashiki? Chifuyu-nee, is she related to Tatenashi-san and Kanzashi-san?" Ichika asked. He was still glaring at the pilot but couldn't spare to glance at Anaton.

Chifuyu nodded at her brother's question.

"Yes, she is the mother of the two. Ichika. Listen. I want you to go to your room. There, you'll take care of Anaton and you won't move from that room."

In his eyes, there was the question he did not dare ask.

Luckily, Chifuyu answered that for him.

"I'm going to see the principal. After that, I'll send a message to Tekerishio. If she wants her daughters dead, she was really on the right track." Ichika blinked and looked at her.

"What do you mean?"

Chifuyu looked over to him.

"Ichika, if someone did the same thing to you like what they did to this kid, I would let them suffer in the most terrible pain ever. And if I had to wait three weeks before I got news." Ichika got pale for a bit but understood it. He walked away without even sparing the pilot a glance.

Chifuyu stood up and showed her a smile which made her all the more terrifying.

"Well, then. If there is nothing else, I will be taking my leave." Chifuyu left the horrible place. She would have ripped them apart but she guessed that she wasn't that good. It wasn't her right so she just left.

She walked to the principal. Now, away from everyone, she shuddered. Slightly, a bit, but still. She was afraid. She didn't want to be on the end of Kerlongsj wrath.

She walked away, going back in her thoughts to the man. And her unknown feelings sealed deep within her.

She didn't joke when she and Kerlongsj did it. It was not really love, more as it was lust. She thought back on the night she lost her virginity. He had been rough on her, he had been soft on her. It was how much she could handle it and where he changed. They did a lot.

It was his first time as well. They had taken their sweet time for it. Not giving a care they fucked until the sunrise.

She was shy for some parts. It was the least thing you'd associate Chifuyu Orimura with but she was. She never had a chance to have a boyfriend. Her standards were always very high. It would explain why she was pushing Ichika so hard. She didn't want a weak brother. It would explain why Ichika thought himself as weak.

But fate had a way of playing her.

Fate had thrown a man in her lap. No, not in her lap. Next to her. A man that would fit in her ways. If it wasn't for his nature.

He wanted to stand next to her. He didn't want to be a shoulder to cry on, he wanted a shoulder to lean on.

He didn't want to be a man that would wait until she got home from a fight, he wanted to be a man that stood next to her in the fight.

He didn't want to be a man that would carry her out of the field like a princess, he wanted to be a man that forced first aid on her and that would make her stand up to try again.

Kerlongsj wanted to be that. He made that clear and she picked up on how he told her.

She understood and more than that, she accepted. He was strong enough to stand next to her. He was strong enough to match the Brunhilde. And he was good enough to claim her as his prize.

Chifuyu snorted at the thought. That was maybe the most surprising thing about Kerlongsj. Despite being the leader of the Nanite Hackers, an organization opposing Infinite Stratos, the men weren't really known as women haters. They hated the IS but they had never said one thing about hating women.

They hated injustice, not equality.

And that was the part that Chifuyu liked about him. He treated her with respect. Not as a great pilot but as fellow human being. She found it refreshing on how he treated her. Like a human. Not some kind of special goddess or as great achiever. He just found her interesting as human.

Chifuyu had no place for romance in her life. And with everything that happened, she couldn't keep a man. She bit back an uncomfortable feeling in the back of her mouth. Ichika was the only man in her life. Of course, that was meant as a younger brother.

Not as a romantic interest. She might have been a lot in her life and sometimes, they acted like a married couple but it was just to make it a bit normal at home. How else were they supposed to act? Ichika took care of the house, she took care of the paying.

It just worked that way. Both wouldn't look for another way.

They cared for each other and that would make it seem like they were a married couple. It was a bit hard to find another way. They lived under one roof and they cared for each other in a way to keep it up. Ichika took care for her and she took care for Ichika. It was as simple as that.

In the neighborhood, where she lived, there weren't really to say any man that could live up to her standards.

Of course, there were those who tried to advance on her. They tried many things. They tried to charm her, an ice queen.

She kicked them out.

Strangely enough, the men that would crawl on her feet weren't also in her ideas.

There was no reason to deny that all of them didn't leave with their pride intact.

Kerlongsj didn't try that. He had no cheap tricks, no compliments. There was nothing. The meetings she had with him were strictly business, out of personal interest for both parties and trading favors at best.

Their interactions had been civil at best and hostile at worst with a blade on each other's throat. However, she dared say that in the later meetings and phone calls, Kerlongsj was getting better in his meetings.

But she went back to that night.

It wasn't just lust that played in it. It was there yes but it was more than that. Besides disavowal, which was hard for two, there was more behind it. Love was a hard label to call it like that. And neither Kerlongsj nor Chifuyu had the idea that love for another person expect for blood relatives could live in their hearts.

She felt like it was more than that. The intercourse was one thing. It was a basic need that came from lust. She was attracted to Kerlongsj like he was attracted to Chifuyu. But that was just finding an interest in the human body. Not in the person.

Despite having a nice collection of scars, he was still a looker. Chifuyu knew she was beyond beautiful. Her worshippers often compared her to a model, though her cool aura and professional look. Kerlongsj didn't fawn on that.

He found her beautiful, true but there was nothing beyond that. He wasn't drooling but if his blush was anything to go by, she did a lot to him. Fashion had never been a lot in his life. He could have something for a nice piece of clothing but he preferred usefulness and comfortable clothing above something pretty.

But there was more than the need they both had. He kissed her. He didn't just take her first time, he took her first kiss. When she stammered and she wanted to cry on that, he had kissed the tears out of her eyes.

He told her that it was more than that. He kissed her not because he found that as his right or that he was fixated about.

Chifuyu didn't get it until he explained it and where she discovered a lot more about herself. Kerlongsj told her that he felt more about her. It wasn't love but more a feeling that he needed her in his life.

She filled up a hole in his heart that he thought he lost in his life. Chifuyu didn't dare to tell him but she felt she had a similar thing for him.

It wasn't a thing you could love but it had a higher goal than lust. It was the fact that both of them had a lost feeling and that only the other could fill up. It was a drug both were addicted to. Both felt right for each other.

Chifuyu didn't know how she could tell him that and Kerlongsj didn't bring it up. In the hours that followed, both went on for hours. They didn't really talk but they both needed it.

Chifuyu flushed a bit on the hours. By their training, Kerlongsj and Chifuyu had bodies and stamina where athletes would kill for. So they could keep it going for hours before one of the two would break. His Nanites might have been a lot but they were certainly a good thing to keep it up.

At the end, Chifuyu left but not before he kissed her full on the lips. He told her that he really cared for her. That she made him feel in a way no other woman ever did. That despite everything of society, that despite the injustice, pain and loss, he still didn't hate her.

She also felt like that. Despite the blatant disrespect, despite the way, despite being what he was, she still fell in love with him. She felt that Kerlongsj was a force of Nature, a forbidden dream, an unreachable man to her.

That made it so hard for her.

She went back over to her head. She decided it was late enough and went to her room. She sent a message to Ichika and walked to her room.

She made in time, closed the door and slumped down. She was torn between two worlds. A world where she felt she belonged. A world that has given her all this despite all the hard struggling, a world where she lived as the Brunhilde, the best Infinite Stratos pilot, a world where she took care for Ichika.

Another world was where everything was lost. A world where her position, her name, her title, everything was gone. A world where she would be shunned and humiliated. But the world where she felt her heart would feel the gap filled.

She began to cry. Soft at first, but harder by time, sobs, tears coming down from her face, from her eyes.

She didn't just cry for the injustice done to her but she cried for the pain. No pain she felt for herself but the pain Kerlongsj must have been gone through.

Three weeks without knowing where Ichika was and the fear he could be tortured like that. The fear he would have gone forever. The fear he would have died. It broke her apart and she couldn't think on how Kerlongsj would have survived.

She mused back on it. She and Kerlongsj shared a lot of similarities after all.

They were both young in this world but still the best in their work. They were both out of labels. She was the Strongest Pilot, ever to live and he was the Strongest Hacker until now.

Both didn't have too much left regarding blood relatives, both didn't have anyone else in their lives because of their said lives there was no other choice.

Both had to put with a front all the time. That of a strong warrior without weaknesses. Chifuyu made a sad smile. If the public knew.

Actually, everyone did.

She had a goal. Keeping Ichika safe. No matter what she had to face, no matter what she had to do. She would do it.

And Kerlongsj did the same for Anaton. She found it stupid, unexplainable why he did that all the time. At the end, he jabbed back she did the same thing for Ichika. Both admitted that and vowed that if they were ever to face each other, it would be without those tricks. A fair fight on equal terms.

Chifuyu now really considered calling him but her phone rang. She took it from her business suit and gulped on the name. Still, she would take the challenge head on. Besides, he wouldn't be here for a match but to talk.

"Kerlongsj, I assume you have a good reason for calling me." She heard him grin. Okay, this could be good.

"Indeed, I have. Look Chifuyu, I know we don't have the best relationship but with you, I pretty much know where I stand and what Anaton's position is. I'm not willing to talk to the Alaska Treaty or to anyone of the families but you, well. I know you."

"I don't know if I should be flattered or to be insulted." Hey, the two had some humor.

"You should be flattered given the fact that I'm the only guy you actually have an interest in. And that's beside the fact that you and I have screwed each other. You and I have done a few times a mission in self-interest. Funny thing that the only person who could take you on is a guy."

Chifuyu snorted.

"You're not the one to talk mister. If I recall, you don't have any girl waiting for you back home."

The laugh was sardonic.

"I can get any girl I want we have here. You forget my cause is built with women here. But given the circumstances I had to raise a child, I didn't have the time. Besides, I told you what I'm looking for a woman. Strong, independent, a warrior. Someone I could stand next to. But enough talk about our love lives. You're the not the easiest I should talk about this."

Chifuyu stopped and listened to him.

A lot depended on this. If she fucked up, the hope for this school was lost.

"I imagined you wouldn't be involved in this but my pride denied me for calling your number. I wanted to do this on my own. I only learned today my little brother was captured. I had an agent of me following him but the guy didn't go too far to make sure things would stay normal. But before everything, Chifuyu. I know you well enough. You have nothing to do with this. What's his stats?"

Chifuyu closed her eyes and flopped herself on the bed.

"I think both of us can guess why they have pulled such a trick. I'm astonished that they could bring him here."

She heard a snort and the killing intent got down. She could breathe and talk normally.

"Tell me about it. I had every hacker, every person I knew working for me, going after him. In the field, on the house, everywhere. An agent tracked him down but the man is a solo worker. He couldn't get Anaton out of it without making a ruckus which would go sky high. And for safety reasons, he didn't contact me. Only when he was sure they'd stop."

"Solo team?" Chifuyu asked him.

"Some guys like to work alone or with two of them. Some are just better that. Who am I to deny." Kerlongsj said while laying back in his chair.

"I suppose I can't talk to him." Chifuyu shook her head and got back up from her bed.

"No. He's out cold and I got my brother taking care of him. I have seen just a bit where he went through. Given everything, it might be better a man takes care of him. He has a free room and now, there is no other thing we can do. I was thinking of calling you, Kerlongsj. But…"

"Chifuyu. Listen. If you tell me, you don't have anything to do with this whole ugly plan, I believe you. We know each other long enough for that. Both of us do. I think it's safe to assume some big powers are responsible for this." Chifuyu wouldn't tell him of the Sarashiki's.

Annoying as they might be, they had a large hand of funding the school. Oh, how she would look forward to introducing that insufferable girl that was their heir to a Hacker. It would be a great sight.

"Kerlongsj." She looked outside, the sun was setting. It would be dark in a few minutes. She thought back on his home. In his place, the sun could take an hour before she would set. She had been sitting outside with him.

Somewhere, it was more than psychical. She had just been sitting in his lap. Nothing else. She had felt his arms around her body, strongly but softly pressing up to her. A moment of peace and maybe even more.

She sighed. She had been looking outside to the school.

"I think someone has set this up. If they went through the problem to get your little brother here, they're going to pull their plan, no matter how stupid or suicidal it might be. I think you're clever enough to figure it out."

Kerlongsj nodded.

"Yep. They want me there to fight, lose the fight and set up my group as slaves to the Infinite Stratos. A bit like what the USA did to Japan after you decided to take out 2341 missiles. And then they call my cause terrorists." Chifuyu allowed herself to laugh. She couldn't hide it.

"You figured that out."

"Chifuyu, I didn't even need Hacker powers for those two cases."

"Two?" She wondered. Which other ones would be there he had figured out.

"One. Ichika is now having Byakushiki. He's having the core 001. The machine got a similar design as Shirokishi. He's your brother. But I looked it up. Second. They never found the hacker who did it. FYI. I had nothing to do with that. My guys won't have any benefit of wiping you guys of the planet. And around that time, Azalof was still the leader. And for your just the record. Most of the older guys need your country alive. You can figure the reason out." Kerlongsj wasn't vulgar enough not to tell her why they were happy Japan was intact.

"Who else besides Tabane would benefit from something like that? Suddenly, they were interested in the machine she made. Sorry to break it to you, you know I'm not hundred percent normal and I'm certainly insane but she's way more fucked up than I am. And I'm not apologizing for my language."

Chifuyu laughed on it. He was the only one who had some humor she could appreciate. She began to softly laugh while Kerlongsj silently snickered. Both allowed themselves and each other to laugh.

After a few minutes, they went back to business.

"How amusing this all is, Chifuyu. I'm asking this. If they want a fight, I'll give it to them. But they're not going to " He declared it to her.

"Kerlongsj. I'm not questioning you but are you sure about this?" Kerlongsj rolled his eyes.

"Chifuyu Orimura. If I have to face you in a fight, I can assure you I would overthink it. But I'm not going to fight you. Sure, it would be the best for the Infinite Stratos but it's in your right to deny as you retired. And I don't think you're going to use the unit frozen under the school. Your final fight isn't with me. Besides, this plan is from different people. If you were the one to fight me, you would have been knowing of this longer than now. And I'm guessing they know of our little past. So they wouldn't use you."

Chifuyu paled on something that she had forgotten.

"Kerlongsj. Is it possible that they know?"

"That we screwed each other? Maybe but no one will benefit from publishing it. And I doubt it. My guys are known for one thing as it is their discretion. I wouldn't imagine that they would tell their enemies. Sure, I was teased for that but those men are as honest you can get. You don't have to worry. Besides, what would the problem be? Would it be so bad?"

Chifuyu allowed herself to be selfish and think of a life like that. Living by his side.

But she got back to reality soon enough.

"Kerlongsj. Do you mind if I'll be your contact post for the coming time? It'd be easier and it will make things faster. Those bastards might be having a great scheme but the academy has rules they have to follow." She didn't speak of Mattheus. It was a sore point and both had argued enough about that.

"I wouldn't ask for another one. I continue to be in your debt. But it would really help me. Chifuyu, not that I don't trust you but could you please assure me where Anaton is?"

Chifuyu thought a second on being paranoid but reminded herself where Kerlongsj must have gone through. She would help him in that.

"No problem but it's late enough and it has been a day at this place. I think I can need some rest." Kerlongsj wanted to act up but he understood.

It had been three weeks and now, he was beyond relieved that his little brother was safe. And he could trust Chifuyu.

"No problem. Chifuyu, I'm happy you took the call. I'll call you back later. Saluut." He ended with the usual note. A good sign.

"Sayonara." She closed the call. Not even bothering she threw herself on the bed. Ichika must have been taking care of Anaton so she decided not to bother. She closed her eyes and fell asleep. Before sleep claimed her mind, she thought on it.

Maybe she could arrange a meeting between Ichika and Kerlongsj. The two could get along and maybe he could her brother with the loss of Mattheus. She fell asleep. One part of her was giddy like a high school girl to see her … you know what Kerlongsj was… back.

Kerlongsj closed the call and stretched out.

"That went easier than I hoped for." He looked over to Mattheus. The Hunter didn't really leave the place. From what his newest sleeper agent told him, Kerlongsj was right to fear that things could happen to his brother but knowing the fact that Chifuyu protected him was a good thing.

Joel had joined the two and thanks to growing up with Kerlongsj, he had no problem that the young boy stayed. He was also dying to find more. Mattheus ended up promising that he would take Joel on the next mission no matter what that one would be.

Kerlongsj looked at his agent. There was a difference in skill and strength. One that would never be filled. Mattheus was never going to be better than Kerlongsj. But besides the hackers, he didn't have other persons.

If he was going to fight a pilot at the school, he needed someone to watch his back. Most likely, no hackers would be allowed at the school. But besides his hackers, there were no other persons he could trust.

Mattheus didn't look like it but he was good at his job. He wasn't excelling in one part, he was scoring eight in all courses, making him an excellent all round type of guy. In a fight, he could easily take care of every pilot thrown at him. His weapons were good, his fighting was decent. And if push came to shove, Mattheus could count on Joel to get him out.

"Agent." Mattheus walked to him, directly listening to him.

"You realize what I am going to ask you." Mattheus nodded.

"If I can make a bet and I do not gamble, you're going to the ISA to get Anaton back. We'll be getting more information from Orimura-sensei and we'll be fighting. You need me to watch your back. Biggest problem." Kerlongsj waited.

Mattheus was good at sarcasm.

"I'm dead." And the Hunter threw his arms out in the open.

The Flemish Devil smiled. "Don't worry agent. I have a plan. We're giving you a disguise and we can make it so that your body stats won't match your previous one. Which won't be taking a lot of work giving the work you've been doing."

Mattheus sighed. His body wouldn't have been to kill for and he wasn't that confident but the latest work really gave him a workout.

"So even with all that, we still have someone to cover for." Mattheus turned to Joel. He was happy that Joel learned to respect Kerlongsj. He was Hunter's boss after all.

Joel walked to them. Mattheus got the message and he lifted him up.

"Joel," Kerlongsj spoke to him using the boy's first name.

"Are you willing to go there. They think that you have died as well. We can cover you both up." Joel nodded.

"If it means I'm getting my friend back, I'm willing to help." Kerlongsj smiled on the conviction the boy spoke with.

"Excellent. Because I'm already thinking of a plan. You two." The two listened to the plans Kerlongsj had made. Mattheus admitted.

His boss might not have been a genius but he surely was great in that. The plan was simple as brilliant.

There was one part Mattheus was fearing.

"Captain. Even with everything, the chance they'll find out I'm still alive is a risk. Isn't it worth considering another person?" Kerlongsj shook his head.

"No. Adjzof. You have knowledge of the enemy, being a pilot yourself, you know every place in the school, you can easily transport yourself. And to be honest, nobody would stand a chance to you. Well, some would have but not that many. You'd be doing great. And if they find out, I'm taking responsibility for that."

Mattheus nodded. "But I won't help you with pilot Fairs." Mattheus blushed and looked away.

"I wouldn't dream of it. But thanks for this, captain. Hey, I don't want to pry but haven't you and Orimura-sensei done it?" Mattheus got a nod with a grin on the face. A grin he was happy to see again.

Kerlongsj was back to normal. He offered his fist.

"To Infinite Stratos pilots." Mattheus returned the bump.

"To Infinite Stratos pilots."

Chifuyu woke up, hours later after her sleep. It really did wonders for her. She had been through a rollercoaster of emotions in the last day. Somehow, Kerlongsj coming to the school distracted her.

Sure, the school would have the most dangerous person on the planet (for them) as a visitor and as a fighter but at least, it felt like she could be thinking of something else than Mattheus death. She rolled her eyes in the back.

She couldn't hope to confront Kerlongsj with that.

She would have it busy the coming days. Kerlongsj would come over, the school had to prepare for that fight, several people had to come over, they would have it busy. It would be like a Mondo Grosso championship. But even worse.

Speaking of Mondo Grosso, Chifuyu wouldn't face him. Not only because Kerlongsj requested that herself but because it would be for the better. She wouldn't use her IS, Kurazakura. Not even for him. The last fight wouldn't with him and besides that, Kerlongsj would destroy her.

She would never admit it but if she was his opponent, he would kill her. And that was something she rather avoided.

In her mind, she decided to visit the principal. It would be best to discuss matters first. This would be a pain as the soldiers she and Ichika beat up, would be complaining. She walked out of her luxurious room. The students had no right to complain but neither did the teachers. She had a modern bedroom with a king-sized bed, a shower, large bath and a flat screen.

She would go to the principal but before she that, she got over to Ichika. She hoped the boy would understand he didn't come over and she hoped to keep Anaton safe before more would happen. She walked to the room, going back in her thoughts.

Would Anaton trust her? Would he hate her? Would he shun her? From what she learned over Kerlongsj, Anaton had a difficult point of paying respect to people who demanded it rather than earned it.

He was similar to Joel. Like the punk, the young Hellboy didn't respect anyone. Chifuyu could hardly blame that. It was his upbringing and the fact he lost his mother and two little brothers by an IS, this would be a tough nut to crack.

Chifuyu honestly hated to deal with kids. She had noticed that Kerlongsj had a way with them. Now, that was exaggerating. But she had to admit. She would have had no idea on how she would raise Anaton. Her own Japanese style wouldn't fit on a boy like him.

She hated it. Mattheus, Kerlongsj. The two were so good with these kinds of things.

She woke up out of her daydreaming after a bang went off.

"I can't believe you, Ichika."

"Die, you unfaithful blockhead."

"How could my wife cheat on me like that?"

"Ichika-kun, onee-san isn't pleased. So you should be punished."

Chifuyu could imagine what the others would say. This was unbelievable. Mattheus was gone and these girls were busy "educating" Ichika.

Did it ever come in their heads it was her duty to raise Ichika and that they had no influence over him whatsoever? She really was happy with the last things.

"You girls. What have I done this time?"

If she said she was surprised by his level of voice and his tone, she would be speaking the truth. She had taught him to be respectful towards elderly, women and teachers. Yet, in his voice, she noticed some little things.

His voice was calm, cool but it had the type he was a bit mad. It still wasn't rude. It was the type of voice he now used to her sometimes. The type of voice when he drew a line. One they couldn't cross anymore. Somewhere she understood that. And being his sister, she quickly agreed on the new borders.

Those borders were also more open than with his little flock.

Chifuyu walked to the room and the sight was amusing. It was similar to the normal scenes. The girls in their IS's, ready to punish him but Ichika wasn't apologizing nor he was afraid of them. He had his Hunters Knife in the left hand and the shotgun in the right. He had taken the barrel on his shoulder. That bad boy looks suited him.

Unlike his normal uniform, he wore a light green sweater. It was a horrible choice but Chifuyu understood. The reason why he wore a sweater was to honor his fallen brother.

With his hoodie pulled up, not beyond his eyes, he looked the girls in the eyes. Ready to take them on. When they got back home, he begged Chifuyu to train him again. Chifuyu first refused his request. She had the feeling that Tatenashi could do the job.

Ichika refused that. He didn't want to become a pilot, he wanted to become a warrior. Tatenashi couldn't teach him. In his opinion, Chifuyu was the only one who could teach him how to use his newly acquired toys.

Chifuyu was a bit shocked but agreed. Mattheus wasn't trained in dual wield training but he thought Ichika a few tricks. Chifuyu had taken up dual katana while she clashed with Ichika. Despite it was short and few, Mattheus' lessons were still in her brother.

It wasn't a martial arts nor a fighting sport per say. But Chifuyu had the feeling that the way Ichika fought reminded her of Kerlongsj. That wouldn't be hard to explain.

Kerlongsj had taught Mattheus to use Goedendag and Chasseur pistol from his hidden knives. So Ichika learned from Mattheus on how to use the shotgun and knife. She admitted. Her brother was good. It was lucky it was rubber bullets but they still hurt.

Of course, she didn't go easy on him but for the first time, she felt her brother finally catching up. She was always out of his league, always too far for him to reach. She now stopped and she could let him catch up.

Cecilia snorted.

"Really? We need to explain to you why an under aged girl in your bed sleeping next to you. How could you smuggle a kid in for your carnal desires? We never took for a lolicon." Ichika looked to that said 'girl' and both had a stupefied look on their faces.

"Eh, first of all. Carnal desires? I don't have those. I'm not a pervert but I can't say the same thing for you." Chifuyu had to give him that one. Ichika wasn't unhealthy but he was just late in blooming. Besides that, he had enough respect for women do not see them like holes where he could put his dick in.

The girls blushed on that.

"Secondly, I'm not a lolicon nor a shotacon. I'm interested in girls of my age but now, you girls are further of that dream and that is a boy." Anaton stood up. His wounds had been healed perfectly. Chifuyu had to give that to the hackers.

They were good at healing wounds. Even as a young boy, he had no problem with that. Anaton stood up, he had no idea of what happened but he looked to it. A guy needed help. He wore weapons, familiar by form and there were pilots.

Despite every piece of him, screaming to destroy them, he would take this easy. He wasn't at full power. Besides, he had no idea on he should get out or how much he could get from Hell's Fire.

So he stood next to Ichika. With a smug look, the little kid looked up.

"Hey."

He just spoke softly. Chifuyu waited until this turned dangerous for the girls.

Ichika looked at him.

"Are those Infinite Stratos pilots being a pain?" Ichika allowed himself to grin.

"You could call it like that." He moved the shotgun from his shoulder.

"Wanna team up?" Anaton asked. Next to the shotgun, Anaton activated his Hell's Punch.

The girls paled. They haven't forgotten what happened.

"Okay, that's enough hostility for this morning." Chifuyu's voice cut everyone down. The girls looked at her. They were caught between a rock and a hard place.

The rock being Chifuyu Orimura and the hard place, Anaton with an addition to Ichika. Speaking of Ichika, the girls felt like he was slowly becoming a second Chifuyu. Anaton stopped and looked at her.

He slowly moved his head and looked at her.

"Are you perhaps…" he paused and walked to Chifuyu. "Chifuyu Orimura? Are you the Brunhilde?" Chifuyu looked at him.

Right now, that name and that title were worthless.

"Yes." Her voice lacked any pride, any greatness, any achievement. It was just a confirmation. Anaton looked at her. His eyes were closed and he shrugged.

"I assume I can't just pass you." Chifuyu shook her head.

"I don't think you're going to stay here very long, Anaton Orlejov." Anaton was walking back to Ichika but turned back.

"What do you mean?"

Chifuyu allowed her heart to flutter on his cute face.

"Kerlongsj gave me a call. It seems like he will be coming to get you. But it's a story with more endings. So everyone who has nothing to do with this will leave this room. And keep the rumors down. I don't need the school to know that we're housing the Flemish Devil's little brother."

Everyone gulped. The girls and Ichika out of fear and the boy out of acknowledgment. If a pilot could take his brother's nickname in her mouth without any negative feelings, it meant a lot.

The girls left the room. They were keeping it down until Chifuyu entered the room.

They didn't speak because Chifuyu wasn't human. Also, they were terrified. They heard the legends of Kerlongsj. And if that was his little brother, it could mean a lot.

Ichika looked at his sister before he dissolved the weapons.

"Thanks, sis. I don't think I'd be able to take them all at the same time." Chifuyu nodded before turning her attention to Anaton. The young boy was now sitting on the desk.

"Okay, I'm going to say what I think I know. I'm at the ISA, it would explain the over fucked students. I mean. Where the fuck else would they allow to use their weapons to hurt someone. I don't trust pilots but if you're Chifuyu Orimura,"

He walked to Chifuyu.

"That means you're the pilot who has something to do with Kerlongsj. Meaning that you." Looking to Ichika.

"You're Ichika Orimura, her little brother and world's first male pilot." He weighed his words, hoping not to bring up Mattheus.

"So, Orimura, could you fill in the rest?" Chifuyu hesitated for a second before Ichika nodded.

"If you insist, Orlejov." Anaton put up his hand.

"Please, Anaton will suffice. I have yet to earn the name of Orlejov." Chifuyu raised an eyebrow on that and nodded.

"Okay, Anaton. You were kidnapped by some high players on the IS, you were brought here as a prisoner of war which isn't the way I hope to see you." Anaton paused before his mind found it out.

"Oh, I get it. They want Kerlongsj to come over, him to lose and our cause to surrender." Chifuyu and Ichika were dumbfounded.

"Why do you think that?" Ichika asked him, shocked on how calm this boy was

Anaton shrugged.

"I grew up with Kerlongsj. The chance that they would pull such a stunt existed. But I can't believe that they would be so stupid to pull this." Chifuyu smiled at him.

"Believe me. I can't grasp it myself." Anaton walked to her.

"Like I said. I don't trust pilots but if you're Chifuyu Orimura, it makes matters different." Ichika looked at him.

"I don't follow."

Chifuyu smiled at him. This part would have to be explained now.

"Ichika, me and this boy's older brother have an unorthodox and certainly very dangerous relationship." Anaton enjoyed his look of stupidity.

"She means that she and Kerlongsj aren't exactly enemies but persons on different sides and that both of them trade favors."

It was Chifuyu's turn to be surprised. Her looks weren't as excessive as Ichika's but they were good.

"How do you know that?" Anaton made a smile and crossed his arms.

It reminded the two of Tabane. With the difference that Tabane was doing it for stupid reasons while Anaton didn't have a maniacal grin or laugh but a snicker.

"Kerlongsj told me. He and I hardly have secrets for each other. He also told me that you screwed each other." Anaton was a bit taken aback by the look of horror and shock on their faces.

He looked to Ichika. Pointing his thumb, he was a bit shocked.

"Didn't he know that?"

Chifuyu, although a bit bemused and shocked, shook her head. She had maybe to put a lecture with Kerlongsj about secrets. Then again.

How much she hated it, Kerlongsj's ways were less problematic and more honest. She hadn't told Ichika one thing about Madoka or about the Hackers.

Which was now becoming a problem.

Ichika looked at him broken out of his stupor. "You're telling me that Chifuyu-nee and your brother." Anaton nodded.

Ichika looked a bit shocked but was also somewhere happy for his sister. Chifuyu made a sigh.

"Don't think too far. We just needed human contact. Both of us could do that." Anaton grinned.

"Brother told me he liked it. So you can say that's a lot. But" He hopped from the desk. "That's enough fun. Orimura, what will happen to me?" Chifuyu sighed.

"Ichika, can you get this guy dressed? We're going to meet the principal." Chifuyu moved out of the room, seeing that his seven girls had disappeared.

Luckily for Anaton, Ichika hadn't removed Joel's clothes. While Joel was a bit shorter and bulkier than Anaton, his clothes could fit him. He threw an orange shirt and blue trousers to him. Anaton pulled it over his head.

He had dressed himself a few times when he was a kid. And he was used to it. When he was dressed, he and Ichika moved out. Chifuyu followed them. In a comfortable silence, the three walked away.

Chifuyu closed her eyes and laid her head back. This would be a pain. The problem was that some persons had no idea with who they were messing.

* * *

And this was chapter two. Onto the next.


	3. Meeting of powers

This is just before the fight. Enjoy.

* * *

The world now knew what would happen. Several countries sent their Pilots to the ISA. Hoping to catch one first bit of the Hacker technology, they were already competing and thinking on how they could use the technology to their better.

There was still one problem. The pilot had to win the fight. It was decided that the Tempest pilot would face Kerlongsj. Chifuyu couldn't believe it.

That woman had only gotten the title Brunhilde because she resigned. She knew how strong Kerlongsj was and he would not just destroy her but shock the world in some way. She was the only one who believed in Kerlongsj ability to win.

Despite their protest, Anaton was moved to his cell. Luckily, it was one closer to the building and a lot cleaner than the last one.

He hated staying there but even the principal couldn't deny it. For the school, they had to lock up the boy. Even he didn't agree but there were too many powers playing. Anaton hated the ideas and the ways but knowing he would be properly taken care after, he resigned. Chifuyu stayed behind and talked to the principal.

Since Mattheus death, she didn't earn too many points. And now, he was asking her a deal that made the Brunhilde pale.

Kerlongsj was now dressing up his agent. Mattheus stood in a vessel where the Hacker getting his Nanites in.

Due to the school system still having Mattheus DNA in their school, it would normally be impossible to sneak him inside. The problem was that Kerlongsj was out of options. He couldn't send a Hacker with him. Those guys couldn't do it as they would fear that any other Hacker would destroy the school from the inside out.

They could watch one Hacker with abilities far beyond imagination. Not two. And Kerlongsj could only take one bodyguard with him. So having no other soldier able to take down an Infinite Stratos, Mattheus was the most logical choice. The Hunter had no problem with that but they couldn't smuggle him and Lavathenian inside the school.

Luckily, they didn't have to.

Joel had gotten his hands on the school's blueprint. With using the school, he could sneak in. Kerlongsj had just to allow one team of Hackers. The young Punk had already left with the Devil's Brigand. Due to the fight coming soon in a week, the former gang of the Devil had gone up there.

They wouldn't miss the fight and would sneak in. Kerlongsj told them he wouldn't cover up but knowing the abilities from his friends, they would get there. And they could take Joel and the unit with them. Oh, how he loved these guys. He had no problem with the illegal missions. Even stronger, he needed them there.

When he was busy fighting, the group had to free Anaton. With everything, Joel would be the best for it. The group would escort him to the school, go see the match as the many spectators and Joel would free his best friend.

Mattheus couldn't be smuggled in that way because Kerlongsj still needed a bodyguard. So with this machine, Kerlongsj had modified the guy in a way that the machines couldn't detect him. It was a drastic solution but at least, Kerlongsj didn't have to go through the events of changing Mattheus in his core.

The machines were too damn stupid so about a forty percent of small changes and they wouldn't even notice the differences.

Mattheus had changed outfits. He wore a dark vest with similar pants and he had his mask. Kerlongsj looked to the former sleeper agent with some pride. He had taken one simple guy, offered him a chance and it brought him this loyal soldier.

"How do you feel, Mattheus?" The Hunter was dizzy and his captain had to grab his arm.

"Like I went through a roller coaster. Hey, captain. How are you going to call me? Even with the changes, you just need one time to call my name and this whole cover is blown." He noticed his captain's smirk.

"Or are you hoping that they discover I'm still alive?"

Kerlongsj sighed.

"All in good time, Mattheus. As for now, your name would be…" He pondered on it.

"Witse." Mattheus looked up to the name.

"Really, you named you after a grumpy detective." Kerlongsj didn't watch that many on the television but detectives were his most favorite.

Kerlongsj grinned on his agent's remark.

"You got a better name," He asked his pupil. "Because if you do, I'm willing to hear," Mattheus grunted and sealed his fate.

He wore the mask of his old friend. It reminded Mattheus before this. A life where he lived in peace with normal problems, with normal things.

If he was going back to the ISA and if they would find out he was still alive, he hoped that Natasha could forgive him for the shit he caused her. He had played his death. She used him like he used her. Both of them weren't without faults.

She wanted to lure him like some kind of honey trap, Mattheus had faked his death and by no means, he had caused her a lot of grieve. Kerlongsj noticed that his agent was looking down.

He took both the shoulders of the man. Mattheus looked up to him.

Despite Kerlongsj being just four years older, Kerlongsj was an older brother. The Hunter acted like one but Mattheus could use an older warrior as a mentor as well.

"Don't be so down, brother. Don't your emotions cloud your ways. You fought as a warrior and the ways we chose aren't that easy." Mattheus got a cocky grin.

A grin that told Kerlongsj his Hunter was ready and back.

"Did you enjoy your night with Chifuyu?" Mattheus felt the hand on his head.

"That is not your business. So stop the nonsense, brother."

Mattheus nodded.

"Understood, captain." Kerlongsj and he walked away. They had packed and both took a suitcase. Kerlongsj would have preferred to travel with his own ships but the ISA was standing on it that they would come by plane.

Mattheus yawned. This would be a long flight.

Most of the hackers weren't there to sign their captain off. Kerlongsj understood, most were tired. Those who wanted to see the battle went with his group which wasn't that many. They would stay at hotels around the artificial island. Kerlongsj didn't expect his guys to stand at the end.

Several hackers, schoolers, veterans, old ones. They all stood together. Kerlongsj knew them all by name, by birth. He saw older ones with their sons which were now schoolers.

"You guys came to wave me off?" An old veteran walked to him. He served under Izof, Azalof's father.

"We came to see what you, little young Devil could do. I hope you can show these pathetic pilots what you can do. And why they shouldn't mess with us." Kerlongsj walked away with him. He and Mattheus got handshakes, pats on the shoulders or high fives were given what age they had. Eventually, the two took the bus to the place.

Waving their friends goodbye, Kerlongsj noticed his newly appointed bodyguard was staring absently out of the window.

"Are you okay?" Mattheus shook his head.

"I'm not really a travelers type. Never been. It's just. It's been a year and three months since I started at the ISA. Besides the summer where I met you at Graspop, I went back to the place. Then the three months of training here. And in those months, I have been out besides tracing back Anaton, erasing Phantom Task."

Mattheus paused when the bus made a short cut to the highway.

"I never thought I would be working as some kind of hitman." Kerlongsj pressed the hand on his friend's shoulder.

"I'm sorry for this but we'll find a way." Mattheus shook his head.

"Sir, you said that on the school, they might find out I'm still alive." Kerlongsj sighed.

"I'll tell you on the plane but to make it clear. The game we play is not just one chess game, it's multiple players. Some are free pieces like Chifuyu, others like yourself are private soldiers working for a King like myself. There are a lot of differences. First of all. I'm not from a country and I might be the only male player. The Hackers and their allies are all working under me. You're different due to your status as a pilot. But other players control more than just their organization. There are a few. One is an ultimate enemy. They are behind Phantom Task. Phantom Task is not just a disguise. It's comparable to what I do with the Metal Claw with the slight difference I respect them."

Mattheus waited, a little blown away. Sure, he always believed in the legends and rumors that a bunch of very powerful persons controlled the world. With the invention of the Infinite Stratos, that made the job easier.

That was maybe the most important reason why he joined the Hackers. Kerlongsj noticed that Mattheus had no message for dirty, shadow play. At least, not in his own men. Kerlongsj played the game dirty, hidden in the shadows. At least, that was when he had to play. Most often, he kept to themselves and left each other alone. But that was then. The now required him to get on the scene.

Not that he really cared. He would show the world what would happen if you took his little brother from him.

But for his own group. He never withheld information. Despite not even proved one thing, despite not even have one fight won, despite he saw nothing, he told Mattheus was his position was. Kerlongsj could tell a lot more but the offer that he gave Mattheus wouldn't be the best but for Mattheus, it was the best he could get.

"So the ones who kidnapped were Phantom Task." Mattheus was a bit shocked his captain shook his head.

"No, the ones who kidnapped Anaton would never bring him to the ISA. Frankly, even with everything, we don't know who they are. Like my own group, they're the only players who prefer not to get involved. I'm afraid that that is out of the question. With Anaton's abduction, they still know I'm alive. They have an idea what can happen. But surely, they don't know who hit them the last months. I'm not waging a war."

Kerlongsj stopped on the point that Mattheus could pick up. "You're telling me this because I am destroying their group. Unlike you, they don't keep to themselves. They use Phantom Task. You do the same, you just use me."

"That's a cruel way of putting it." Mattheus glared at his captain. A glare that was not disrespectful but one that told Kerlongsj he had to cut the crap.

"Call it how you like but we use one another. You don't want to get your hands dirty but you want the ones beneath Phantom Task gone. By letting me eradicate the terrorists, they will find out." Their conversation had to stop as they arrived at the airport. It had changed a lot.

The attack of the twenty-second of March 2016 was in their heads. Kerlongsj was six, Mattheus was two. They had heard what happened. Mattheus father told him a lot of that day.

They walked through it. Kerlongsj and Mattheus weren't what you could call celebrities. They had their faces hidden often and Kerlongsj did a lot to keep his organization hidden.

Well, what he could keep hidden.

At this point, the government wasn't in a comfortable position. The Hackers were the substitute but the normal people now wanted to find out. Sure, they blocked their own communications but if the neighboring countries are announcing that Kerlongsj would fight against the Tempest. Things are about to get tricky.

Kerlongsj came up with an explanation most normal people could agree on.

A group, made of men and women, (women were present in their group, in more way than one), meant as the answer for whenever a war would come against Infinite Stratos. Secret for the public to keep people safe.

Most wanted more information but Kerlongsj had his own lads sent out to cut off the intel. But he could predict most of them hijacked a few servers from England as they didn't want to miss the watch the fight.

Kerlongsj sighed.

His group was a lot but sometimes, he hoped all this secret could stop. That he could speak the truth. He and Mattheus left their pieces of luggage at the band. They walked on to their place. Despite the match, the mood was normal. Just business as usual without anyone worrying.

Nobody had actually to worry. Even if the Hackers had to subdue, they would make sure that people wouldn't notice it.

Heck. For most normal humans, the invention of the Infinite Stratos didn't change a lot in normal life. And in Belgium, that didn't have Infinite Stratos, the gender rules didn't apply. So it was just a stupid high tech machine that cost way too much for what it actually could do and not something most people would ever be confronted with.

But for Mattheus and Kerlongsj, they hoped that message could apply to them. But now, they didn't.

It took a few hours before they reached the plane. After taking off, Mattheus hoped to close his eyes. But before he could let sleep comfort him, Mattheus got information on what he and Kerlongsj had to do.

Even with the fight of the Tempest, Kerlongsj had the strong idea things could get out of control. And that he most likely would be the responsible person. So, Mattheus didn't have to keep the identity of Witse.

They also had to contact his group. Kerlongsj used their shared link. They were guests on the school. Besides a large group of pilots who attended the match as representatives of their countries, they were a lot of guests. Reporters, sellers of IS machinery or even normal people. Kerlongsj four hackers and one punk didn't make a sight. So his group arrived. In the school, they could plan. But Kerlongsj hoped he could just rely on Mattheus with the discovery of his Hackers.

If shit hit the fan bad, they had to get out. Only Joel, Anaton, and Mattheus could be his allies. But knowing them, they would get some fun as well. Hey, they were the Devil's Brigand after all.

After telling his plan, he followed his soldier's example and closed his eyes. He fell asleep. This would be the begin of the long days.

Chifuyu overlooked in the academy. She had somewhat hoped on a small, uneventful but if the raven haired learned one thing, it was that Infinite Stratos was never going to go quietly. She mused on how she would actually fit better in the Hackers.

Anaton had been brought to a cell where he would stay. It was for safety measures. Kerlongsj would try to free him but the Devil was the least of her worries. He would be fighting but there were more persons who wanted Anaton dead.

Still, Ichika was a bit shocked to find out about Kerlongsj. Still, he didn't like the idea of his sister screwing a guy while she was who she was. Somewhere, it didn't sit right with him.

The most surprising part? It was Anaton who explained to him why they did what they did. A human can work without support, love or anything like that but physical contact is sometimes really needed. Ichika still had problems understanding that but Chifuyu had a very embarrassing explanation.

Why Kerlongsj used her and she used him, it was still with basic respect for each other. In this form, it was almost pathetic. Chifuyu admitted that part. But hey, she was human. Human got needs too. And at that point, it was more than just lust that played. The fact that human contact was low for the two of them made it another point.

Chifuyu hated the fact that Ichika pointed it out like that but he could understand the reasons behind it. Speaking of Ichika, the young Pilot was hard to be found. Nowadays, he often spent time towards the cell. He and Anaton could talk about a lot.

For some reason, Ichika cried his heart out at Anaton, so to speak. For some reason, if he was a problem or he wanted someone to talk to, he went to a young boy of twelve years old that was normally seen as the enemy of the Infinite Stratos.

It had more to do with the fact that Anaton was good at it. Probably because the boy, like Joel, grew up fast. Even faster, considering he wasn't hiding but more training as a warrior. She had to admit that Kerlongsj did a good job.

Even better than she did.

It was unclear for her what they were talking about but Chifuyu made the guess that it was about their previous lives. Even more, than Mattheus, Anaton was easier to relate to. Chifuyu sighed. She had hoped at some quietness but that was far too find.

A lot of big players, the USA, Russia, France, Germany, the UK. They were just the tip of the iceberg that was coming to the school. Of all of them were very sure that Kerlongsj would lose this match and the last resistance group of men would surrender to them.

Chifuyu was happy that Kerlongsj wasn't arrogant. Sure, he could take them on but he wasn't willing to wage a war for nothing. Getting Anaton back was one thing. Fucking the whole world up.

Even he couldn't do that on his own. He needed his guys for that. And Kerlongsj's group wasn't really jumping to get in a war. They have lived long enough for that. Most of them got a girl that loved them, children they had to take care for.

The Hackers weren't a group of hired killers but a group of guys who wanted to protect their country against the Infinite Stratos. That's all. Chifuyu sighed.

Unlike the Infinite Stratos, they didn't want to impress anyone. But if it was a fight they wanted, they would get one.

This had been a headache for the raven haired beauty. It all came down to her to prepare for this event. And dealing with bureaucratic had been a damn pain She was a warrior for fuck sake. But because the academy was the grateful host for this part, she was now in charge of leading it. After leading the officials from Russia to their room, she walked into the most eventful thing of these past days.

There was a huge ruckus of journalists, cameramen, and interested school girls. Before Chifuyu could even yell at them, she felt a sudden wave of energy. The group vultures were swept away landing away from the two men.

Kerlongsj looked like he saw hell. Funny, a Devil seeing hell. Chifuyu smirked and walked to him. Everyone looked at her. The males were afraid of her, the females hoped that their idol would show that punk that you couldn't deny a woman anything.

She laid her hands on her hips, flashed him a smile and in an amused tone, she began to speak.

"Well, look who it is. Kerlongsj Evert Orlejov. As the protocol comments, I have to use these lines. Welcome to the Infinite Stratos Academy, mister Orlejov."

Kerlongsj looked tired, his eyes had bangs, his hair was a bigger mess than usual, his face was sweaty. On his left shoulder, a small black bird sat down. He flapped up his wings. He went with Kerlongsj commanders and now, he was finally reunited with his master. If he could call Kerlongsj like that. He wasn't a pet. He was Kerlongsj longest and first friend.

Despite looking like shit , the guy still stirred something in her.

She could swear something in her heart went up when Kerlongsj removed his hoodie to let his dark blond hair come out. His grin was like normal. Still with humor, although serious beneath.

"Yo, Chifu." He greeted the Brunhilde and caused a stupor in the environment. That man, called the Brunhilde, the most powerful warrior on the planet with a nickname. Now, let's look at the three that weren't bothered.

Mattheus, under his alias as Witse, looked surprised to a bit. Even he didn't talk to Chifuyu like that but because his captain told him what happened between them, he could think it was okay for now. He was more amused by the reactions. This wasn't a conversation between the most powerful beings on the planet.

This was a conversation between a man who hasn't been a man for that long and a girl who had grown faster up than she hoped for and whose relationship was shameful, clandestine but needed in their lives.

Chifuyu closed her eyes for a second before opening them with a hint of humor in it. In all honesty, she wasn't bothered by the nickname. He just cut off the last two letters of her name, made it a shorter name. It was never meant to be insulting or denigrating. It was just on a whim he has one called her that. Because his nickname never bothered her to a great extent, she agreed to it.

Chi-chan was way more annoying for her. She couldn't believe Tabane called her like that. But because the two were best friends, she let it go. The Shinonono family helped her and Ichika in their time of need so she had no choice but let it go.

Tabane had helped her to protect Ichika.

But somewhere deep down, she hoped she could introduce Tabane to Kerlongsj. He had an old score to settle with her and he would love to have a chitchat. Kerlongsj might not be serious all the time, had a way of taunting his enemies, almost fucked up a mission they had done but he was the one who saved the two, there was a simple reason why she allowed it.

He didn't annoy the fuck out of her and didn't sexually assault her.

At least, not without her permission. Kerlongsj had screwed her and she took his first time but all with mutual consent.

"I'm happy to see you again, Kerlongsj. I wouldn't think you'd come here." Jack flapped his wings to let his disapproval out of being ignored.

"I didn't forget you. Hey, Jack." The bird settled down and let the two talk.

She called him by his first name. Kerlongsj never cared a lot about his last name. Due to his age, he always made it a point that people called him by his first name. Because she returned him the favor, she gave him a nickname.

She only didn't call him like that as it would be awkward to explain.

Kerlongsj shrugged, Jack went up and still remained at its place. He found it amusing how everyone looked at it.

"Well, I didn't have much of an option." He spat on the ground. Chifuyu was unfazed by his rude action but knew how he rolled.

And she wasn't his mother so what else should she do.

"You know my policy. Touch my kid and you're going down." Chifuyu crossed her arms and looked at him.

"How are things back home?" Kerlongsj moved his head to the sky.

"Oh, now normal. Everyone is looking forward to the big fight. They expect me to wipe the floor with my opponent. Did you realize I haven't killed anyone of my guys? Gotta thank my lads for that. How are things here?"

Chifuyu titled her head. With a devil-may-care (pun not intended), she began to speak about the last hours at her place.

"Oh, things were fine. But because some idiots want a match to be held here, I'm stuck with a goddamn job. I didn't sign up for this." Kerlongsj made an apologetic look.

"Sorry for the shit I cause you."

Chifuyu placed a hand on his shoulder. While the grip would normally inflict a tremendous amount of pain, Kerlongsj felt it more like a friendly squeeze. It was notable that Chifuyu intended it as a friendly squeeze.

"Not your fault. Kerlongsj, you're the last person I blame. You came her to get your brother back. I would have done the same thing."

And she meant that. Kerlongsj didn't want all this and he was the least responsible person for this. Calling him was only to let some things know and to tell him, she had nothing to do with any of this. Kerlongsj took her arm and pushed it off his shoulders.

"Thanks. How is Anaton doing? I can't see him." Chifuyu shook her head.

It was her turn to make amends.

"No. Believe me, I would have no problem with it. He's locked up in a cell but I have made sure he's treated well. Ichika and he often chat there. I can't believe that the two get along so well." Kerlongsj smiled while Jack cocked his beck, agreeing on it.

"Maybe because he and Anaton have one similarity. A sibling like us." Like a young pup, she went over his hair and scratched it. Kerlongsj got a blush. Not a big one, not a small one either.

His cheeks just colored. Like a giant cat, he purred on it. He closed his eyes and even made a soft purr.

Mattheus was shocked. Had he taken a drug? Was he high? Were those two persons really Chifuyu Orimura and Kerlongsj Orlejov? The first Brunhilde and The Flemish Devil.

She was patting on his head, messing with his hair, like he was some kind of cat and he was purring like one.

Was this really happening?

Chifuyu continued the soft action. She didn't care what it would cause. It had been serious enough for the last days and she had enough stress running through her. Right now, she could use anything to calm down.

And Kerlongsj was here now. Kerlongsj was two years younger than her. Their age difference didn't make that big of a deal normally. But at this point, she wanted to make it count.

It lasted a few minutes until she decided she had humiliated him enough. At least, that was her idea. There was no way that you could get Kerlongsj to tell that he didn't like it. He had enjoyed it.

Chifuyu smiled at him.

"Okay, enough small talk. Kerlongsj, they have decided who they are going to let you fight." Kerlongsj looked at her, waiting for a while. Of course, he had to fight. Chifuyu politely refused and like Kerlongsj told her, this was a big plan worked out.

It didn't matter that Chifuyu was the Brunhilde. She retired and Kerlongsj had no real way to fight her on equal terms. He never cared about the retirement. If she retired, it was perfect. Kerlongsj wouldn't have to bother fighting her. In any way.

Kerlongsj waited until he saw someone coming to her. Jack looked at him and in their shared link, the bird couldn't tell how much Kerlongsj would love to fight this woman.

Mattheus stayed behind, his looks calm and collected. His boss would only call him when the damn hell that was needed. Before Chifuyu could answer, a voice cut through the air.

"Oh, are you that willing to die, Flemish Dog?" Kerlongsj slowly turned to the voice who had mouthed the insult.

She was a young woman of Southern European looks. Tall, not as tall as Mattheus or Kerlongsj but still, in some way, older. The two hadn't finished their puberty just yet.

She had red hair that went down to her shoulders. She had green eyes to go with it and her clothes were military if Mattheus had to pick.

He had a good idea who she was, even without the context. Freya had once written about her and from what he could tell, she didn't get along at all. It was maybe a good thing that Kerlongsj would fight her.

Mattheus had learned a lot in the last months. He was no longer the somewhat weak kid. He had faster grown than Ichika and he had little issues to kill with his Infinite Stratos.

Kerlongsj wasn't the only one who had some hostility towards her. Fiora Ricci, the Tempest pilot and winner of the second Mondo Grosso championship.

Kerlongsj glanced over to Chifuyu who had some problems holding back. The woman had problems holding back. Chifuyu's face had lost all its humor, she was now pissed. Not only did that bitch won the Mondo Grosso, earning the title of Brunhilde.

"Oh and you? You haven't changed on a bit, Chifuyu. I can't believe someone like you would come to greet this dog."

Kerlongsj glanced at Mattheus. The look told the man to shut up. He could leave this better to him. She was still the winner of the Mondo Grosso, so she was by no means a pushover. Kerlongsj would prefer to deal with this himself.

"For the record, I'm called the Flemish Devil, not the Flemish Dog. It starts with the same letter but it's not the same. Care to learn that?" Kerlongsj glared at her.

He let some of his Nanites out. Faint, not noticeable but it certainly built some tension.

Jack flapped his wings. "Patience, Jack. We're going to fight her so hold yourself in."

He heard a scoff. "Talking to a bird. Man, you must have fallen low. I can't believe it. The infamous Flemish Devil. Nothing more than an idiotic kid." Kerlongsj looked at her with his hands in his pockets.

"Jack is way more intelligent than you'll ever be. And for the record, I'm insane. Not idiotic. In all honesty, you're the one who is stupid." The Tempest Pilot waited.

"Who the damn hell is stupid enough to challenge a Devil?" Kerlongsj asked her. If this turned out in a shouting match, he could do a lot.

"I'm not going to lose my time on you. I will destroy you in the match. Good luck to you damned soul. And for you Chifuyu, I couldn't believe you fell so lowly."

Kerlongsj grabbed her shoulder. "Chifuyu, no. She isn't worth it." Chifuyu sighed and let it go. The woman walked away while the two glared at her.

"I hate her."

"I can relate." Kerlongsj looked at her. "If you want to vent your anger, call me for a training. But right now, I want to take a nap." He stretched out and laid his hands on his head. "No problem. Please follow me. And who is that?"

Kerlongsj looked at the masked man.

"He is Witse. He is my bodyguard. I know I don't look like a guy who needs a bodyguard but I have to give him a chance. He's a borrowed warrior who wants to join the Hackers." Mattheus was glad Kerlongsj came up with that lie.

Chifuyu agreed on the message.

"Well, I can't say about who you pick."

The technology Kerlongsj had Mattheus covered up enough so that nobody would notice he had taken a dead man with him. Kerlongsj grinned and the two followed Chifuyu.

They were lead to the VIP area. The pilots found it polite that Kerlongsj would get the last rights as he would be killed soon enough. Chifuyu guided the men, occasionally glaring at anyone who would stop them.

Kerlongsj was glad about that. Those who never saw him fighting wouldn't think of him as a warrior and would easily underestimate him. He never let words speak, much-preferring actions. And boy, the world would be in for a horror action.

Chifuyu opened a door, letting the men in a five star room with two single beds. It had anything you could wish for. Flat screen, computers, a shower and bath. This would be the perfect holiday room. It was in the modern style that was around this academy.

"I hope you like it," Chifuyu asked him.

Kerlongsj shrugged. "I'm used to worse accommodation. It's great. I assume there is no spyware in here." Chifuyu smiled at him. She knew perfectly what he could do if that was the case.

"Even if that's the case, I know you. You can perfectly take care of it." Chifuyu was the only one who trusted in the fact Kerlongsj could win this fight easily. She had hoped to wait that Fiora wouldn't be so stupid to bully a dragon or in this case a Devil.

Chifuyu walked away, leaving the men alone. Mattheus took off his mask. "I was suffocating beneath it. Captain, I'd like an idea because there is no way I'm going to wear this mask 24/7." Kerlongsj grinned.

He took out a black cloth. Mattheus looked at it and back to it.

"Here. With this, you can cover your face. If you pull up your hoodie, you can cover yourself easily." Mattheus wore that mask when he went out after bad guys but in the hot Japan, the facecloth which would function as a mask, that was better. He pulled it over him and it covered his face.

"How do I look?" Kerlongsj shook his head.

"Like a bad guy. Look, take a shower or get some rest. I don't care but I don't want you of this room." Mattheus nodded. He would prefer to stay in his room.

"If I may ask sir, where are you going?" Kerlongsj smiled but not before he let his Nanites destroy everything of malware.

"Getting you your weapons." Kerlongsj changed into a sweater that was less on the hot weather with a light material. He pulled up his hoodie and walked out the door. Mattheus took off his cloth, removed his sweaty clothes, threw them in a corner and went for a shower. He felt the water coming removing the saltiness from the last days.

'Back home.' He thought.

Kerlongsj was walking out in the open, moving from the VIP to the guests. It was like everywhere. How lower you were on the social ladder, how lower your room standards room where. He attracted some whispers around him. But in the end, he couldn't care. He was free on his own. The meeting with Chifuyu went better than he could hope for.

Eventually, Jack pointed the room he had to go.

He knocked at the door and it opened. Denzel looked in the eyes of his captain. "Jack wanted to get out. I know get why."

Longsword told his captain. Kerlongsj smiled at him.

"I can't stay for long. Give me the rings." Kerlongsj got a small, plastic container handed. Inside were five brown rings and two white ones.

The man stuffed them in his pocket.

"Is Joel around?" As on cue, the young boy appeared. Kerlongsj smiled at him.

"Hey."

"Yo, what do you need me for?"

Kerlongsj knelt down to him.

"Joel. I and Mattheus will be busy. Can you take care of Anaton? I want you to save him when I'm busy fighting." The young Punk nodded.

"No problem. Can I be deadly?" Kerlongsj shrugged.

"It's your call. Please get him out." Joel nodded.

"Don't worry, I'll get it done." Kerlongsj stood up.

"Denzel, you and the other three might be here for a match but you can have a fight yourself."

His oldest friend leaned to the wall.

"You fear to lose control?" Kerlongsj nodded.

"Yeah, I'm intending to let my actions speak. So in case of shit hits the fan, you can watch my back." Denzel nodded and let his friend go.

"You'll be fine. Good luck captain." He walked away with the two looking at him.

"You think things are going out of control." Denzel nodded.

"Let me just tell you, kid. If you fuck with him, he can take a lot but if you fuck with his kid and you're done for." Joel sighed.

"I just hoped I could watch the fight." Joel was really hoping for that.

Denzel ruffled through the hair.

"Joel. I don't think that's a good idea. If there are videos of it, it would be age restricting. And don't give me the crap you're a former IRA kid. What Kerlongsj is about to do, it would change the way you look at him."

Joel, not understanding what Denzel meant, looked up. Denzel sighed.

"Joel. Kerlongsj doesn't live up to his nickname and he is a benevolent guy. But at this point, he is seriously going to let his actions speak. He has always been better at that." That show is going to let the whole fucking world know why he got the name The Flemish Devil."

Joel shrugged.

"You know. I think it's weird. He is a Devil and he got a Hunter working for him." Joel smiled.

"I don't get that nickname. Why does Mattheus calls himself, Hunter?" The young punk turned to the Longsword.

"Mattheus calls himself Hunter as he doesn't want to be a warrior for anyone. He wants to use his skills to fight for himself. And because he is a huge fan of Simo Häyhä." Denzel's mouth got open.

"Ah, that would explain it. A Hunter that forced Russia to its knees. But I still don't get it." Joel sighed.

"A Hunter could force Russia to its knees. He wants to do the same for Phantom Task." Joel was done with serious business.

"Hey, wanna do some card game?" Denzel nodded.

"Sure."

Kerlongsj walked back to his room. He arrived late in Japan so he went out for a stroll. The night began to fall. He texted Mattheus he would be back later. In two days, he had to prove the world that they had to leave his cause alone.

Now, you might think Kerlongsj was just thinking he could take it easy and not even bothering about his enemies. Nothing of that was true. Kerlongsj knew what was at stake, he knew where he fought for and he knew what he could lose.

It was stupid, mindfucking. He would risk everything in his life for one boy. But that boy was his brother. End of the line.

He would never underestimate his opponents. That was the one thing Azalof taught him to do.

No matter how strong, how good you become, never look down on your enemy. It's more than basic respect. It's to keep yourself alive.

Kerlongsj had to agree.

In the open, it was nice, the heat was turned off and he could enjoy the summer night. He didn't catch a dinner as he wasn't hungry.

A beep from his cellphone. Supposedly, Mattheus had already made dinner and went to bed. He looked to the sky.

"Infinite Stratos, oneindig leger." Stratos was a word that came from the Greeks. It meant army. So Infinite Army.

Kerlongsj tried to use his link with Anaton. It had been nearly a month since he got missing. He hated it. He could rush in and take Anaton but it wouldn't solve anything. He had to fight. And that wouldn't be so bad. But Joel was a counter measure. He leaned at a bridge and sighed.

He looked around and saw someone standing. That person had black hair, dark red eyes, and a slim body. The same person wore the Infinite Stratos uniform. Now, why was this weird.

Because he looked in the eyes of Ichika Orimura.

Even if you didn't know him which would be impossible as he was the most famous guy on the planet. Kerlongsj now looked at what some of his guys could the greatest traitor in the history of mankind.

Kerlongsj thought otherwise. Ichika was a guy who had the luck or the bad luck to pilot the most complex machine to date. Killing him wouldn't solve anything. Ichika looked him in the eyes.

Kerlongsj noticed the look. Only his best friends (which included Mattheus and Joel), Anaton and Chifuyu looked to him like that. A look that showed respect without fear. A look that was refreshing to see and one he hoped to see more.

Ichika stood at the end of the bridge while Kerlongsj leaned at the railings.

"Ichika Orimura, am I right?" Ichika nodded and walked to him.

Kerlongsj arms got out of their crossed state and he offered a hand.

Ichika looked at it, unsure what to do.

"What, aren't you going to shake it?"

It had a slightly offended tone but it cleared up when Ichika shook it.

It was strong and hard but still, it had a lot.

"Are you Kerlongsj Orlejov?"

The man nodded.

"Yep. I'm the Flemish Devil. But Kerlongsj is enough." Ichika nodded and looked up and down.

"Well, I didn't know that you were." Kerlongsj shrugged.

"Your sister told the same thing many years ago." Ichika blinked. Of course, his sister has met him. And from what Anaton told him, Kerlongsj was a good guy when you got to know him. And this was maybe a good thing for later.

"Chifuyu-nee told me she met you years ago. And Anaton told me a lot as well." Kerlongsj was honestly surprised by that. He knew Anaton well enough. Anaton like him was a social disaster. It took years for him to grow out of it.

Anaton was good with his teammates but only close towards Kerlongsj. Against the man that was named Devil, he opened up to. Kerlongsj was the only one who saw him crying. Who he told about the nightmares. Who he held on his neck when he couldn't sleep.

"So what Chifu said is true, you came to visit him. Thanks for that."

Ichika looked up and went to stand on the other end of the bridge.

"Chifu?" Kerlongsj saw Jack moving his beak, tapping the man's cheek.

"That's the nickname I gave your sister. She doesn't care about it. She hates the nickname Chi-chan more than whatever I call her." Ichika put his hands on the guardrail.

"So you know about Tabane-san?" Kerlongsj looked up to the full moon.

"Yeah but that's a long story for another day. So, why did you come to me? Don't give me the crap you went out for a stroll." Ichika's eyes got open.

Man, this guy was good.

So he gave in.

"I want advise." Ichika said and he walked to the man.

"So why did you come to me? Go to Chifuyu or anyone else." Ichika crossed his arms.

"I have learned last year that sometimes a man is the person to open to." Kerlongsj waited but the answer surprised him.

"If you want to talk, Ichika, very well. Consider it a favor I return you because you've been taking care for Anaton."

In a comfortable silence, they walked around. The lights went on and the sun was now completely gone.

"When the light begins to change  
I sometimes feel a little strange  
A little anxious when it's dark"

Kerlongsj sang in a soft tone. For some reason, Ichika liked the tone.

On a bench, Kerlongsj hacked them some drinks. A can of green tea and a can of cola got out. Ichika opened his can and Kerlongsj took his drink.

"So what's it you want to talk about?"

Ichika made a sigh. "Well, let's see. First of all. I find myself left out in a lot of things. Things my sister kept from me." Kerlongsj had his front teeth on the can.

"If you're wondering, I'm not going to tell anything."

He got an accusatory glare. "I'm not asking. But Chifuyu-nee, she kept a lot from me."

Kerlongsj looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

"First of all. My supposed little sister shoots the other male pilot out of the sky. In three months, he becomes some kind of super soldier."

"You're talking about Mattheus Adjzof? The Brown Hunter." Ichika nodded.

"Yeah, he and I were close."

"I can imagine. It must be nice to have someone to talk to like that. But what do you mean with little sister?"

Ichika closed his eyes and leant his head back.

"Last semester, I met a certain pilot. Someone who was looking like Chifuyu-nee, who was nearly as strong, she said she was Madoka Orimura. She wanted to kill Chifuyu-nee. So I tried to stop her. But a bomb went off and she wanted to shoot me down. Mattheus took the hit and…"

How much Kerlongsj hated it, he couldn't do it. Kerlongsj had done a lot to cover Mattheus up.

Luckily, Ichika wouldn't have live long with that. In things worked out, the way he planned, it would becoming very clear Mattheus could come out.

"But that's not everything. Suddenly, someone comes in, talking about Hackers, Chifuyu-nee seems to know them. And now we're having a match between the Tempest pilot and you. And who are you really? I heard a lot but I want to hear it from you." Kerlongsj sighed.

In theoretical ways, he owned Ichika nothing. But that was in theory. Ichika went through a lot and because Kerlongsj was somewhere responsible for it, he decided to tell him.

Besides, it wasn't because his cause fought against Infinite Stratos, he hated them or Pilots. He couldn't hate Ichika. What good would that do?

"Good. I'll guess I'll tell you. My name is Kerlongsj Evert Orjelov. I'm twenty two. I'm the younger brother of Azalof, I'm the older brother of Anaton. I have been a hacker for a decade. I was a supportive ground type until I received Devil's Code. It made it possible that I could control Close and Long rang attacks as well." He paused and took a sip.

"I met your sister a few times. She and I helped each other. She also went one time to talk about certain things. In that time, we ended up giving to our emotions. I'm a guy who prefers a talk before a fight but if you touch Anaton, that's out the window."

Kerlongsj leant forward.

"I'm a guy who is so strong they couldn't put in a category. I lived on my own even in my group. I tried to become stronger but I couldn't until I learned a reason. That reason pushed me beyond everything. Tell me, Ichika. Why do you want to be strong?"

"I want to protect my sister."

"Ironic. That's the same reason why I became strong. I want to protect Anaton. That's why I became so strong."

Ichika looked at him.

This guy was the man who could take Chifuyu-nee on and who could take down Infinite Stratos like they were flies. The man who got the nickname the Flemish Devil?

Guy didn't look like it.

"You're wondering, right?" Ichika looked at him.

"You're wondering why they believe I could take on pilots and why your sister respects me?" Kerlongsj sighed.

"Well, that's because your sister has to. Your sister knows that I'm the only one who could take her on and who could hurt in a way that would kill her." Ichika pointed a thumb at him.

"Me." Kerlongsj nodded.

"Indeed, you're your sisters weakness. But that's not a bad thing. Me and your sis became so strong to protect our little siblings. That's a good reason. For both of us. It makes us weak but for one part, it makes us normal." Ichika looked. This wasn't an answer he would expect.

"If the guys back home know, their leader is a man who is capable of ripping them apart like they're nothing, it's not really improving anything. The guys back home, they see a man who is so strong but at the same time, they see why. When I am at home, they see me playing or talking to Anaton. The weakest of us all. Still, they understand. My weakness let them forgets I'm called Devil. It makes me human. The same with Chifuyu. The difference? Unlike her, I have no problem shattering my image as warrior. The guys know what I can do and with the kid, they believe that I'm not a bloodthirsty, rampaging killer but a guy who wants to protect his only living blood relative."

Kerlongsj looked him in the eye.

"If you want to become a warrior, that's okay but you need a reason that keeps you human. In your case, I'm guessing it's your sister or your friends. Maybe your reasons will change. I don't care. It's not my problem."

"What about Anaton? You say. He is the weakest of us all?" Kerlongsj sighed.

"Like IS compatibility, Hackers have a sync rate. I have a sync rate of thousand percent. Hackers below me got around seven hundred. How higher your sync rate is, how better you can control your powers and how stronger you are. Anaton has thirty percent." Ichika looked at him, waiting for more information.

Kerlongsj noted and picked the line-up.

"If a Hacker uses a move, it goes of the sync link. A normal attack would cost around fifteen percent. In my case, I don't look at it but I'm guessing I use easily around eighty percent. Anaton can only use thirty percent from his powers before he has to 'reload' like we call it. It takes a brief moment to use powers from us. If you don't follow, it's like your shield points." Ichika nods.

"So he has only thirty percent before his fight is over."

Kerlongsj nods.

"But that's insane. Why would you let a guy fight like that?" Kerlongsj smiles.

"Because Anaton wants to. He has shown me that he could use his powers for the better. He can use thirty percent of his Nanites but by something, he can turn up his synced power to three times his power. For some reason, he refuses to give it up. That is partly because of his Nature Low Control. He can't use that many Nanites but what he can use."

"Is beyond the normal usage of what Hackers do." Kerlongsj nods.

"It's a way we Hackers never walked but I think it's interesting." Ichika looked to the sky.

"I can't believe he would push on." Kerlongsj looked at him.

"But you can learn from him, Ichika."

Ichika waits until the man stands up.

"If I'd use all my power, I would vanquish any opponent. Not even your sister in her IS would be able to stop my strongest attacks but I fought Anaton. At one point, he and I fought. He refused to go down. I went easy on him but in the later times, he grew stronger and stronger. It began to take more. I attacked him with my special attack. You can say it's a bit like Yukihira. He took the attack head on, something your sister wouldn't survive. But he blocked it and stopped me. At that point, Ichika, I didn't have a kid but a boy from Hell. So that's why. A weakness can hold you back or get you up. He decided to gets him up. So it's up you what you do with it." Kerlongsj walks away.

"Wait, I have one last question." Kerlongsj halts and turns around.

"If you and Chifuyu-nee would fight, how would that end?" Kerlongsj looks back and shrugs.

"I can't tell. When I told you, your sister couldn't take me on, that was years ago. I don't know about now. But she has to consider I didn't stop training. If me and your sister would fight with our fullest power, it would lead to the end of the world like you know it. Not looking forward to that."

Ichika nods. He sees Kerlongsj walking away in the dark.

He was good. He could hide a lot of his power. So that meant a lot. Ichika emptied his drink and walked away as well.

He ended up in his room and laid down. He looked to the ceiling.

Would it be different if Mattheus would be here? Could he do something about his brother missing? Ichika didn't know. He heard a knock on his door. Walking to it, he opens and sees an unexpected guest.

"Houki?"

"Hey, Ichika. I was wondering. If you don't mind, can I crash over?" Ichika complements to say no as it would lead to a lot but right now, he could use it.

"Sure, but hold it down." Houki nodded and she gets in. Ichika walks to his bed and sits down.

"Is something bothering you?" She asked noticing that her childhood friend is absent in his mind.

"Yeah, I met someone crazy outside." Houki waits until she begins to go in her mind.

"You mean Kerlongsj Orlejov?" Ichika nodded.

"Yeah but don't get me wrong. He did nothing weird. He just talked and explained why he became strong." Houki looked at him and sits down.

"Is there something else?" Ichika took a deep breath.

"It's just. Things have been getting crazy. So many things happened on this month. In the last few days. And I, I don't know if I can keep it up."

Houki pulled her friend on her shoulder, making a soft moment. But unlike most times, she didn't fawn on it. She did this because she hadn't been too god for him and because she now thinks he has earned it. Because she want to make it right.

"We're here for you, Ichika. Don't worry. We'll always be there for you." She held Ichika close and eventually, he fell asleep. Softly, she laid down and she held his head towards her chest. While it might seem lewd, she did out more out of love than lust.

Things indeed got crazy.


	4. Second's best

I know this is the part most of you have been looking forward to.

The fight. Enjoy.

* * *

The whole world lived up to the day of the fight. Nearly every country in the world had sent their representatives and the match was sent out everywhere. In the hangar, only Kerlongsj and Mattheus were present. He noticed that his former lover, Natasha has taken one of the VIP seats. If anything would go to plan, things would get very interesting.

Back home, the Hackers were getting ready for the television. Despite the late hour, they were ready for this. This would determine their future and like Kerlongsj requested, the guys were prepared this could go wrong.

Kerlongsj was now ready as well. Dressed in a light blue sweater and black pants, this was the easiest outfit. The clothes might seem normal but inside, there were tiny metal parts and those made it easier for them to move and defend him.

He heard a noise and turns to see Chifuyu entering the hangar. "Came to see me off?" He asks her.

Chifuyu smiled at him. She wore her normal attire of her black business suit.

"Can you believe I'm the only one who believes that you're the one to win?" Kerlongsj took his customized weapons, two bracelets and attached them to his wrists.

"Then you're making a safe bet. Don't worry. I'm not losing this." She pats him on the shoulder. "Good luck, although you wouldn't need it. But please, show off."

She was off and Kerlongsj walked to his bodyguard. The man stood up.

"You know what you should do." Mattheus nodded.

"Don't worry. But we'll how it works out. As I would say, I make my own luck." Kerlongsj smiles and walked the opening. When he gets out, he leaped down, head first. He began to make his skateboard and moves to the pilot.

"I'd expect you to run." Kerlongsj shook his head. "I never run from a fight. But I'm guessing you're really stupid to challenge me. Whatever, I hope you're ready."

"You really think you can defeat me." The pilot scoffed.

"I'm the second Brunhilde. Kerlongsj shrugs.

"Only because Chifuyu retired. She could win of me but you, no chance in hell." The pilot activated her unit.

"Well, I'll show you. Come forth, Tempest." Jack's small body began to light up. In just a flash, Kerlongsj was up in the light. Energy from his body radiated, like the anger he had for a month came out. The wind flew out of the storm, going in the public.

Some shielded themselves from it.

A few didn't.

Those being the Devil's Brigand. Every time Kerlongsj would go out, they enjoyed it, the many powers coming from them.

Chifuyu stood in it. Like she would defy him.

Mattheus looked at his captain. He did a good job choosing for him. To work as Hunter for a Devil.

Kerlongsj laid his head back in his neck and in a sharp movement, he pushed it back. His eyes lightened up. His green-gray eyes were filled with energy. "You're right, Jack. Let's go wild for a change."

"Begin." Was the announcement.

Immediately, the Tempest activated. It was a light red unit, armed with more conventional weapons he ever could imagine. From her shoulders, several laser beams charged at him. Kerlongsj looked at them, coming at him.

In a sec, he was up in the air, circling around them, unable to hit him. They passed him like they were afraid of him.

Jack picked on him. "Easy, Jack. We're going need to give a show, right. Well, we can warm up." He avoided them, using a skateboard on his feet. His legs deformed and from below, the energy made the floating board.

Kerlongsj moved around, avoiding the attacks. Most were amazed. They would expect Kerlongsj to be a heavy hitter, namely taking hits. This would be his normal tactic but against one foe, he would go out his style.

The Tempest pilot changed to her guns, mounted on her arms. A bunch of huge Gatling Guns was aimed at the Hacker. They began to fire at him, making a lot of bullets spilled.

Kerlongsj moved over his head to see them coming. "Agreed, Jack. Go ahead." Kerlongsj heard his bird making a rec.

While still being turned upside down, he made a giant cannon, mounted on his right shoulder. Kerlongsj held in and fired. A giant light bullet, the size of a small comet raced at the pilot. She saw it coming and moved out of the way.

"Impressive, I would have thought that would have hit," Kerlongsj muttered under his breath. It would have been too easy and easy wasn't a thing he'd like.

Fiora had enough of him and she attacked him, again. Like Kerlongsj, she had mounted cannons on the side of her body. She fired at him. Kerlongsj decided to put up with it.

They hit a target and a dust cloud flew up.

"Was that it?" Maya asked. She and Chifuyu were stuck as monitors. Chifuyu shook her head.

"Oh, far from it, Yamada. That guy just likes to fuck around sometime." Maya flinched on the swearing. This guy? What kind of influence did he have on Chifuyu?

Meanwhile, the dust cleared up and Kerlongsj had his shields active. "Oh, I didn't think you'd able to stop me." Kerlongsj shrugged and took his guns out.

"You really think you can stop me?" He asked her.

She sighed. "Well, in that case." From her hands, a sword like a spear appeared. "Oh, a javelin. Weird choice but bring it on." She attacked him with the weapons moving in from above. Kerlongsj was no fool and from his hands, a European style sword appeared.

He pushed her back. It was a larger sword than katana, not to say a light one, and it looked heavy. Kerlongsj put it on his shoulder and moved to her. She saw him coming, avoided him by flying up and Kerlongsj followed her. This match would take a while.

Fiora hoped to avoid Kerlongsj attacks but he would have nothing of it. Kerlongsj used his sword to attack her and she blocked him from above. Which was stupid.

Her whole life, (from her fourteen) she thought men were weaker. Right now, that idea was shattered. Like her javelin by the way. Kerlongsj had cut right through it.

It drew out a shock from the spectators. Did he shatter an IS weapon by using inferior technology? Hersey.

Kerlongsj heard the shouts coming from below. So he pushed Fiora down. She skyrocketed to the ground while he lifted his middle finger.

This wasn't meant as insult solely. He did shut them up.

Before Fiora could hit the ground, Kerlongsj made his move to her. Like a peregrine falcon, he moved above her. Opening his arms, he shut down his skateboard and fell towards her.

"Jack, do I have to tell what weapon I want?" The little bird understood. From his body, the energy came out and Kerlongsj looked like a comet.

"Eat this. Speed crasher." He struck Fiora in the stomach. Kerlongsj would have been hurt as well, were the Nanites not acting like a shield for him.

Being hit by a projectile that was launched at you by 400 km/h (around 250 mph) isn't fun. A pigeon that's hit by a peregrine can testify that. If that beast lived.

Fiora felt like a pigeon. Kerlongsj had hit her head on. He stood on her and from his hands, a set of hidden knives appeared. The speed he used to hit her with was incredible. She couldn't feel the blades entering her body and going back out.

Unlike sword cuts, who were also stricken on one particular spot, Kerlongsj didn't focus on that. His small knives did massive damage to her body. She could feel the blood coming from her. Her shield protected her from life-threatening damage.

One cut wasn't labeled life threatening. Thirty together could be considered that. Kerlongsj had jumped off her, rolling on the ground while she crashed into the ground. The dust cloud reached the stages and the crater was huge.

Nearly fifty percent of the arena was swept away. Kerlongsj turned around and he admitted. He was impressed.

As were his four friends. The Tempest pilot was still standing. Her unit showed some dirt and damage and her hair was a mess. Her body showed the damage Kerlongsj had done to her. A normal pilot would have been dead by now.

'Damn, I have underestimated her. She earned the title Brunhilde by default but she doesn't mess around.' Kerlongsj looked at her. He had taken no hits and he was still fine on his feet.

"Fuck you, figllio di puttana." Kerlongsj shrugged on the remark.

"My Italian isn't that good but doesn't that mean son of a whore?" Kerlongsj wondered out loud.

The pilot stood up and she was catching her breath. Kerlongsj waited for her. He didn't know when she was ready but suddenly, she launched herself at him. Kerlongsj simply sidestepped her but not before giving her a roundhouse kick.

While covering his leg in Nanites. He turned around and tossed her to the other end of the arena. She didn't expect that a kick could hurt like that. Surely, she was physically trained and in a better condition that most have been in her life but that didn't stop the kick from destroying her from the inside out.

The pain she felt soaring through her body was huge. Kerlongsj had used his Nanites to get inside her. While she was flying to the wall, he punched in a button and in mid-air, she exploded.

Ichika's face had all color withdrawn. Was this the same man who had a talk with? Was this the man that he would approve for his sister? From what he saw, this was a man who was really strong and who didn't mess around.

Ichika admitted he had never seen anything like him.

Fiora crashed into the wall. She wanted to stand up and fell on one knee. "Goddamn you. How are you so strong? It doesn't make sense, I don't understand. You're a man, a low life. A second class human. How can you be so strong?"

Kerlongsj walked to her, his hands in his pockets.

"Simple. I'm not that strong, you're just that weak. But if you want more on it, it's simple. I became strong but not for the reason you'd all think. I'm not this strong to put you women down but to protect my little brother. So when you think I'm going on you like this, it's not because I'm a guy who can't agree with the current society."

He lifted her head by her hair and punched her in the face.

"It's because you took what is mine. And when you touch Anaton, I don't care." Again, he punched her until a bright light filled the space and Kerlongsj should have known this were going to get ugly. From a kick, he was moved through the air.

To say he got some damage, no but he felt the pain through him. He shook his head but had no time to react. Fiora was back in the air and she launched everything at him.

"Kerlongsj." Came out the public, muttered by a few persons. A giant cloud filled the arena grounds and it was like they couldn't see him anymore on the monitor. The announcement of defeat had yet to be told but Fiora laughed manically.

"HAHAHAHAHA, see Hackers. What happens when you got in our way? When you come up for your rights? You get crushed by our feet. You get trampled upon. Since when do rats want to be treated like a human? You're nothing, nothing like us. We are the greatest, we are."

"Could you shut up, you're giving me a headache." A voice cut her off and she looked down on him. Kerlongsj couldn't make a shield and he was torn to shreds. His sweater was gone and his shirt was open. He took it off, whatever was left of it would hinder him. His upper body was for the world to see.

Some girls got a blush. A life like this gave him a dream body. The scars on his back were zoomed in. Scratches, cuts, small but numerous. The largest ones were starting on his front shoulders, going down to his back. They were big like ten centimeters.

They had an identical run over him.

His pants were having a few holes but they were still good enough to wear.

Kerlongsj looked at her, disinterested. Like a hornet had stung him.

"Impossible, how are you alive?" Kerlongsj shrugged.

"Organ and limb replacement are easy shit for a guy like me. Most standard supportive are great at it. You can guess when you're facing me." Fiora paled.

This guy could not only counter her attacks but he was good at making himself healed up. She gritted her teeth.

"You know. I should kill you for that speech but I don't care. I'm done with making women realizing that we're not bad guys. Tell you what. If you give it up, I'll refuse to take this as a victory. You get this on your record, I get my brother back and I go home. How does that sound?"

Fiora was dumbstruck by his idea. Would he ask her to surrender? The tone and dryness in his voice? Was he serious?

"Imbecile. You really think I'd surrender to you? Forget it. I'll defeat you. And I'll make your cause to slaves. You know I was promised Anaton." Kerlongsj's eyes shot open.

Six persons knew she fucked up. Kerlongsj would now really go overboard.

"I'll teach him and train him. I'll make a good toy out of him. A butler, maybe. A slave. I will let him drown his despair. I'll break his soul and innocence. I'll mold him into the perfect man. And I'll show him to the world that we are superior."

(Turn up Waking the Demon of Bullet for my Valentine.)

Kerlongsj had fallen silent on the words. This was enough. He'd show her real cruelty.

"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" His roar was over the whole place. Kerlongsj put his hands aside of him and a spiral of energy got up in the sky. Cloud seem to gather and a thunderstorm was inbound on her.

Fiora paled on it. The energy levels were so high. This wasn't normal. She was afraid. Behind him, Kerlongsj's energy had to begin to take form. It was like a…. this couldn't be true.

And that was why Kerlongsj was called the Flemish Devil. It was the form of a Devil.

He stood back and launched himself at her. His hidden blades open for her. She saw him coming and she paled. This was beyond a man. She avoided him but he got after her. She wanted to run away. This couldn't happen.

Kerlongsj got after her. She looked up and she didn't see him anymore. Did she escape him?

She felt a hand on her shoulder and her eyes got open wide. She didn't dare to turn around.

The next moment, she felt a wave of energy crushing her and a razor sharp knife destroyed her IS. She would have been flown away by the huge amount of energy. Kerlongsj turned her around and she faced him.

Kerlongsj previous cut was small and precise. These were still precise but huge.

She felt him cutting her open, destroying her machine bit by bit. She tried to protect herself by setting up a shield but her points were melting away. With each cut, he took fifty shield points away. She had about 300 left and those were before the beating.

Kerlongsj made a right stab, followed by a left slash and both the knives entering in small cuts. He then cracked his knuckles, turned his knives pivot and pushed them on the shoulders. He cut her open.

Blood came out of her machine. Her Absolute Defense didn't work anymore. Kerlongsj had destroyed that.

But he wasn't finished with her. Not yet.

He took her throat with his right hand and lifted his left.

"Jack, I know I'm asking a lot but give me the first circle of Hell." Jack slowly turned to his master. Even he didn't want to deny it.

Kerlongsj lifted his right hand. The spiral of energy from before was nothing compared to this one. You could see it from miles away, wondering what it would be.

Most people now looked away. Not because they were too afraid to watch that because it was too bright. Kerlongsj let the energy come down on his knife and made a call. He had to make some measures that it would hurt anyone in the stages.

"Chifuyu. If I were you, I'd cover up the stages and close everything up. Just for your safety." Fiora had now wet herself. He was calling the Brunhilde for an attack that could hurt others and he meant that attack for her. He was a Devil.

Chifuyu took his warning seriously.

"I got it, Kerlongsj. Maya, work on it." Maya didn't even say a word. She sealed everyone off in just ten seconds.

"You're good to go, Kerlongsj." Kerlongsj pushed his knife inside her. The energy he had pulled in the knife got out my impact. Like a downwards spiral, it got in her body. She had never felt something like it. Her whole body screamed off the pain he gave her. It was like everything in her body was trying to kill her of the pain.

The pilot wished she would die in the attack. The energy that came from Kerlongsj was huge and the whole island got in a quake. Luckily, Chifuyu ordered everyone to calm down. She had trusted Kerlongsj on this but after this, he had something to explain.

She was relieved when she heard him speaking back.

"Okay Chifuyu you can open up but I don't think you'll like what you." Kerlongsj was floating above the arena, making his call.

Jack had been picking in his cheek. He destroyed the arena's ground. By the attack, the ground of it was pushed fifty meters on the ground. Everyone had their eyes on one person. Fiora.

She still lived. She couldn't move one inch. Kerlongsj made his way to her. Her IS was destroyed for the most reasons but Kerlongsj had to make a point.

She felt him roughly pushing her into a kneeling position. "What? You didn't want to kill me."

(You can end Waking the demon)

Kerlongsj cracked his knuckles.

"That'd be too kind for you. I wasn't trying to kill you in the first place. But you really think I'm going to let you walk away after what you and your bosses did. Kidnapping Anaton was one thing but announcing to me you were going to fuck him is another thing."

Kerlongsj gripped her unit.

"So what, you're going to kill me after all?"

Kerlongsj wasn't looking angry or mad. No, he made a smile.

"You really think I'm going to let you die? No, I am going to take away everything you believed in and everything you earned." Kerlongsj put his hands on the core of her unit. Her IS core.

He let his energy come out again. "Thanks, Jack." He muttered. The bird opened the second circle. With the stunt, Kerlongsj was going to pull, he would need that.

Chifuyu felt quiet. She knew that Kerlongsj could do a lot but this was out of control. He took the core and he began to pull. She looked at him in shock. He wasn't going to kill her.

No, he was going to destroy her unit and rip every chance of rebuilding him.

If she thought she got used to the feeling of pain before, she was wrong. This was a new kind. The kind that someone was trying to rip your heart out.

Most persons were having a white color on their faces. Kerlongsj had totally gone overboard on the actions and now, he was trying to do what exactly.

Mattheus' mouth fell open. He knew his boss but that his boss could do this. "Mother of God."

Kerlongsj began to pull on her core.

Fiora's screams forced most people to cover their ears and eyes. Even the Hackers fell quiet. The ones in the arena and the ones back home. The whole world was clustered to the television.

A last final rip tore the core out of her unit. What was left at the Tempest fell apart around her body?

Normally that would kill a pilot but because the unit was damaged and Kerlongsj protected her from it. She had to live with the eternal shame that her unit was ripped away from her.

She began to sob and cry. He said he would take everything away from her and he now did. And he wouldn't allow her to die. She had to live with this.

Kerlongsj surely earned the title Flemish Devil.

Kerlongsj lifted the core above his heads.

He let his Nanites come out and hack in the system.

"Normally spoken, I let my actions speak for my words but now, I'm making an exception. Listen to me, leaders of the world. I don't want a war, I don't like a war and I will not go to war. My boys aren't looking forward to a fight that would take away their friends, their children, their beloved ones. But I want to make something clear. Your new world can go fuck itself. It doesn't apply to me, it doesn't apply to my men and it surely doesn't apply to my boy. I don't care if you're from the USA, Russia or Japan. Try to take my brother from me. Try to hurt my cause again and I'll destroy you. And if you think I can't do that. Well, let my actions speak for me this time."

Kerlongsj pumped his Nanites inside the core. It was the hardest thing he ever felt but he didn't care. Slowly, his fingers pushed around the core. Every crack was giving him the chance to push on.

Chifuyu palled on it. Tabane was certainly not going to like this.

She didn't know who to follow. Kerlongsj had a right to be angry but this was out of control.

Mattheus blinked twice and whipped in his eyes. Was Kerlongsj going to do what he thought he was going to do?

Kerlongsj decided it was enough and pushed one last time. The core fell apart on his hands.

It didn't matter if an IS was destroyed. With the core, you could always rebuild it but at this point, Kerlongsj didn't just destroy the IS. He destroyed the core.

"From this day on, there are 466 cores in the world. Put this in your books, if I have to destroy all cores to protect my boys, I will do that." Kerlongsj spoke out.

The world powers had to listen to this twenty-four-year-old man. He had now proven his words.

It wasn't the point if he could destroy the Infinite Stratos. It was the point if they could push him to that.

It remained quiet for a while until several IS's began to light up. Kerlongsj looked up.

"Oh, you have got to be fucking shitting me." Kerlongsj had no idea how many IS's attacked him but at this point, there were a bit too many for him. One IS raced to him.

It was a close range unit, mounted with axes. Before he could counter, the IS was cut down by a huge sword. Denzel moved towards his captain, his sword on his shoulder.

"If you want him, you whores first got a pass by me." A few Pilots attacked him and they were gunned down.

He turned to Wannes, their gunman. "And me." The man proclaimed.

"And us." A man with a giant crossbow on his back and a guy which arms were lightening up.

They made a circle around Kerlongsj. The pilots circled around them. "Lads."

"Shut up, captain. You got your fun. We're your gang, remember."

Denzel told him. "Besides, it's not like we would have a problem taking them on. Go save your kid."

Kerlongsj nodded and walked away. The ones who were active wanted to take him on but the guys got in their way.

Kerlongsj walked away from the arena but found someone in his way.

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow when he saw Chifuyu standing in her black outfit. He looked up and down.

She had 4 sheathed katanas on the side of her thighs and two at her hands. She wore some black protection armor. Kerlongsj could maybe use his Nanites to get confirmation she was blushing.

She had seen him shirtless before and Kerlongsj didn't care about that.

"I think you need to be knocked down a peg. You went too far."

"Nothing goes too far when it involves our little sibling. I thought you would understand." Chifuyu sighed and she closed her eyes.

"I do but your last action is too dangerous for me to let you go." Chifuyu had some regret in her voice but she would stay fight.

"Chifuyu, please. You're the last person I want to fight." Kerlongsj pleaded her.

He, the man that destroyed an IS core, pleaded someone to get out his way.

"I can't do that, Kerlongsj. Surrender."

That was out of the question.

"You know I can't do that." Kerlongsj sighed. But before he could react, he saw someone coming his way. He moved out of the way.

The person was dressed in a white armor. In one hand, he had a large sword in his hands and in the other, a knife. The person was a male piloting an IS.

"Ichika?" He stood in front of his sister.

"Idiot, what are you doing?" Chifuyu asked her younger brother. Her anger hid her worries.

"I will fight him." Was this guy mentally healthy?

"What?"

"I don't allow this. I will show him that he is wrong. I'll protect you, Chifuyu-nee."

Chifuyu didn't know to congratulate him for his bravado or punish him for his idiocy. Kerlongsj put his hands in his pockets.

"Really? You want to fight me. I'm the guy who destroyed an IS core in front of the whole fucking world. You're just a boy with a year of experience at best while I got a decade to get on par with your sister. I could destroy you like a fly. But I know someone who's looking forward to this."

"Who?" The Orimura siblings asked. It was answered by a bullet. Maya who stood behind in her IS was thrown away by the sheer power.

"You know, you're the last person from cheating? You want a fight, do that on equal terms." A voice told them. Ichika turned to the voice.

His unit had grown like he did. On his back, a dark brown rifle was holstered. On his legs, a spear with a club on his left leg and a pistol on his right. In his hands, he held a white rifle.

"Mattheus? You're not dead?" Ichika was blown away by the sight of his dead brother.

He grinned.

"No, but it was close. The Hackers saved me after you were too goddamn stupid to keep your head at the rules of a battlefield? But really? Do you want to take Kerlongsj on after you saw what he did? But yeah, you have never been a smart guy."

Ichika glared at him.

"The Hackers saved you? So you work for them? You betrayed us." Mattheus spat on the ground.

"I have never betrayed anyone. I just followed the orders I received. Those came from Kerlongsj. But if you want to fight, I'm willing to take you on. Captain. Catch."

He threw two bracelets to Kerlongsj who caught them.

"Thanks. Go play, agent." The man nodded and flew away with Ichika following him. Kerlongsj saw a few girls.

Mattheus could take them on just fine. The man was trained by him after all.

Ichika and his group moved out of the way. The arena was a huge fight between the four Hackers and about sixty pilots. Kerlongsj had just drawn out the fight because the Hackers were good at taking them down.

It didn't matter who they faced. The Personal Units fell as easily as the Mass Produced ones.

The seven girls and one guy glared at their lost brother.

"So you weren't dead?" Laura asked the man.

"No, I still have enough to do here. And the Hackers are the way to achieve my goal."

Kanzashi was making calculations.

"And what is your goal?"

Mattheus grinned and pulled up his hoodie.

"Glad you asked, Sarashiki. I'm going to do the one thing your fucking family can't seem to do. Namely, wiping Phantom Task from the face of the earth. The Hackers asked me to work for them and I accepted. The best offer I could get. At least, they gave me training so I can wipe the floor with you guys. You honestly believe you can take me on?"

The eight made them ready. They were pissed at him by what he has done them.

"Well, don't say I didn't warn you."

The group attacked him and Mattheus leveled his rifle. "I make my own luck."

Somewhere else, Joel walked to the cell. He had hoped that he could use his energy blade. His weapon to take on Pilots.

He felt the earth shake by the power Kerlongsj had used. He looked back and shuddered. He never wanted to face Kerlongsj in any fight.

Luckily, the place was deserted and by his knowledge, he could track Anaton.

He banged on the door, surprising Anaton. The face was worth a picture.

"Joel."

Anaton greeted his friend, happy to see him.

"Hey, Anaton. Guess who Kerlongsj asked for your escapement." Anaton's face got even better.

"I knew he'd come for me. I just knew it." Joel smiled and cut the cell open.

"He'd never leave you. It just took him long enough to find you." Anaton got out of the cell and he wrapped his arms around the neck of the young Irish Street Punk.

"I'm happy to see you again, Joel." Joel hated hugs unless they came with good reasons.

"Me as well, lad, me as well." Joel let him go.

"That shock, was that Kerlongsj?" Joel lifted his hands and shrugged.

"I don't know. Mattheus didn't text me. But I guess so. He has good reasons to get you out but I think you can expect a lecture."

Anaton shuddered. If he only got a lecture, he would be lucky. Then again, Kerlongsj never blamed him for anything like this.

"I think we still can have enough kickass." Anaton nodded but fell down. Joel could catch him.

"Sorry, I think my body is worn down. Could you carry me?" Joel nodded and lifted Anaton's hand over his shoulder and carried him.

This would take a while but at least, Anaton would get to Kerlongsj.

Besides, when adults fight, children have no place at that.

Kerlongsj took his hidden blades and put them on. The killing intent of Chifuyu was radiating.

"So you have saved him and you didn't tell me?" Her face was smiling but it was the kind of smile that wasn't a good one.

Kerlongsj wouldn't put up with her crap.

"Because I had reasons not to do. He was no longer useful at this school so I let him at my place. Right now, he is really good."

Kerlongsj moved his hidden blades and turned his right one pivot.

"Remember our promise?" He asked when Chifuyu looked at him, a bit surprised.

"When we would fight, it would be a fair fight and on equal terms." Chifuyu took out her katana and looked at him. She was honestly surprised he remembered that and that he would do that. Still, she was somewhat honored.

"I heard you took an IS on in that outfit. Impressive but I don't know if that'll be enough to take me on." Chifuyu glared at him.

"Bring it on, Flemish Devil."

"I'm somewhat looking forward to this. Give me your best shot, Brunhilde.

* * *

Ending song: The last battle of Sabaton.

* * *

Okay, that took me a while. I think I have been writing for nearly two weeks to get this many words on paper.

I told myself I could do this many words and well, I have proven myself to that. But I'm not doing this every time. But I'm damn proud of myself.

As for the rest, I got some votes for the end match which will go in the coming chapter.

Three votes for a match between Chifuyu vs Kerlongsj with a fight of Ichika vs Mattheus.

Two for Hackers and Pilots versus Phantom Task. Sorry, sorry, Imperial-samaB.

But I don't think you'd be disappointed in this.

Why I'm ending this, right now before the deciding battle. Because experience taught me that spoiling you guys isn't really good for reviews. So that's why I ended it here. Don't worry, I'll make it up for next time but it depends on you guys.

And because it would grow otherwise way too long and that might be a problem.

First of all, it doesn't depend on me if I'll update this. Like I said in the previous chapter, give me enough reasons update and I'll work on it.

I got a bunch of other stories and if I compare these to a story like To the other end of the world, there were enough reasons to pull the plug out of that one.

What are the reasons for me to work on a fic? Reviews.

Reviews are the things we do it for. Reviews give us contact with readers and their ideas.

A FanFic isn't a book. It's not set in stone, it can change, it can go about everything and people can say what they want.

I have the habit of listening to you guys. I'm willing to listen to suggestions or to work things out. I'm going to ask you guys this one time.

Please, for the love of everything, review this story. Leave behind your thoughts, opinions, ideas or just a few short words are even enough to do it for.

This is the only time I'm asking it.

I can also work on other stories which will give me reviews and enough. I'm sure of that.

But I like working in this section. It's not dead, it still lives and it has so much potential. It's so much fun.

It's up to you guys. If I can get enough reviews, I'll update. If not, I'm wondering to myself why I poured two weeks in this.

See you guys in the next chapter I hope.

Saluut.


	5. World's strongest

Yo guys, been a long while since I gave you guys an actual update. Well, that's simple to explain. I just really got busy. And I wanted to have my full attention on this fic.

I got the feeling I put up a rant up here which I'll summarize.

Fell out with a friend, ruined my mood to write any humor parts, planning to rewrite my RWBY fic and all difficult stuff.

So I just got back to my basic and write on books. And because I cut off my chapters into smaller ones which I hope will be giving me some more feedback, I deiced to keep it like this.

This will be the last chapter for a long time. The feedback I got from you guys was heartwarming and I really enjoyed it. But still, for the most important thing is that I get something back from it. So for the time being, I'll keep this story on hold.

Also because I really want to focus a lot on this story and that's been hard with school the last days. This is written in my holidays and after this, I'll see how much time I'll have to work on different stories but I don't know if that will work out. I'll try to work on more chapters this week but that depends on you guys.

Something I really like. Could you guys look up Project Ayano? Guys are great for acoustic covers.

* * *

"Aaaaahh." With a battle cry, a now twenty-year-old Chifuyu Orimura attacked. She wore a black kimono with a belt in the similar color. The kimono did a good or hard, it what you deiced, accentuating her curves. Coupled that with her hair tied up to ponytails and sweating.

You could have one major distraction albeit a very sexy one. Not it really helped Chifuyu defeating her opponent; she fought a person that not idolized her, not fawned over her or that worshiped her. the attraction was a different kind of story. Since the male (and that was a big surprise, considering the hours they have spent fighting for hours and that neither of them wanted to settle down for a loss)

The man didn't wear a kimono but more like leather black pants. He didn't wear a shirt like Chifuyu but was fighting with a view on his chest. He wasn't a bodybuilder but had more a slim fit of muscles. Where in the body was more trained for stealth and knife play, his body was fit and for Chifuyu, he fitted really in her strike zone.

Not that it really distracted her as well. Like the man, she focused on the fight. He was heaving and the first signals of tiredness had begun to set in. Chifuyu couldn't claim this was an easy kill and this would never be an easy kill

She enjoyed her training if she could be blunt. She couldn't remember the las time she had been pushed to her edges. She fought with the man with every vibe of her being, feeling tired as well but so satisfied.

Unlike former times, where her opponents had fallen down in mere seconds, this one was still standing.

And she didn't know if she should hate that or applaud for that. whatever it was, her focus went down, because of the caught her fist, turned his body in a circle and floored Chifuyu. The Brunhilde couldn't believe such a cheap trick caught her.

She closed her eyes, making hard contact with the floor. The man held her close, her head resting on his shoulders, only not in a pleasant way. Or actually, that was up for debate. The man, who followed with her, hold his tight grip.

Chifuyu felt the arm wrapping around her head and neck. Unlike most times, the grip was strong but not pressing. It didn't cut her air supply off but her sparring partner had in her such tight grip that she couldn't go loose. She tried to find a way out but every movement she made, caused the grip to become tighter. Her legs couldn't reach him as is a body was laying in the opposite direction.

She laid down and smiled. "Very well, Kerlongsj. You win."

She said. With some regret, he let her go. She looked up to his grin. His green-grey eyes changed from serious and cold to warm and relaxing. Chifuyu remained on the mats. After hours of sparring, fighting and hitting, the mats felt like the most comfortable bed.

Or at least, it felt that way for someone who was hurting, aching and bruised. She liked this feeling. It gave her the sense of improvement.

Chifuyu had nearly forgotten that the fights you win are often not the ones who teach you things. in marital arts, the fights you lose can sometimes tell you more. With every victory, she had gained in the last years, she didn't think she could be taught anything. But Kerlongsj proved the opposite.

Said main. Sat next to her, his arms wrapped around his left knee. Chifuyu looked at him but didn't leave her position on the mat.

Damn. Those big scars were nasty. Completely drawn over his back. A shudder went through his spine when a cold but seemingly caring finger touched the scars. Chifuyu withdrew her hand and pulled herself up to sit next to the man.

With a satisfied purr, she stretched out and felt the pops in her back.

"Mmmm, five hours. Damn you, Kerlongsj. You know how to treat a lady." The snort that came from him didn't surprise her. Chifuyu gave the man a mock eyebrow.

"You do realize I have no clue on how to treat a woman." He shamelessly announced. Chifuyu had to give him that one.

"True but I don't know how to treat a man." The man looked deeper in her eyes.

Here she was. Reining ice queen, stone cold demon, a prime example of female supremacy, joking, smiling and jesting around with a man. Something just a little bit better than an animal nowadays;

Which also was a term up for debate.

Kerlongsj had been fighting and pushing for a long time. He was good. In her eyes, really good.

"I noticed," Kerlongsj spoke from the comment. "And I have to admit. You don't know how to treat people in general. You're horrible, I hope you know that."

The young guy blatantly told Chifuyu. The raven haired beauty got a played look of shock in her eyes. "Aah, you hurt me with those cruel words. You really do." She gave him a playful punch on his arm.

With a look of hurt, he reacted. "Hey, am I lying?" Chifuyu sulked.

He was right. She was horrible. And that was putting it mildly. She demanded nothing but the best from her peers. Her words were harsh and cold, respect was always asked, seldom or never given.

Ichika had one time asked why she never had a boyfriend. Come to think of it. She never had an interest. And she had a brother to raise. Kerlongsj, on the other hand, had a way of working with her.

He was respectful towards her. But just a basic level. Nothing beyond that. he joked with her words, jested with her antics, shrugged on her death threats and pushed her down. He treated her with the closeness and comradery without pushing it to a level of uncomfortableness.

She set up her borders and he only crossed those he could without repercussion. Those who annoyed her but didn't offend her. Kerlongsj might have been a man but Chifuyu admitted he had respect for women although they had put him down so many times. For him, even if a woman couldn't realize, he would never lay a finger on them.

He'd hit one who deserved it but would never sexually assault one.

Chifuyu found it interesting in how fast he destroyed her ideas. His power made him her equal. Chifuyu had seen him and by extension other males in a new light. She softly pinched his cheeks.

It wasn't really his cheeks, but more his jawline. He had a more rugged look in his face, in comparison with his otherwise teenage appearance she had last seen three years ago. He was more a young man than an aspiring adolescent.

Her thumbs massage right underneath the lower jaw. Unlike pain or harshness, it was Kerlongsj turn to release a sound of satisfaction. She tugged her finger in a softer place, giving a pleasant shiver, deeper on his spine. The circle of his scar on the right cheek had faded but the vertical one wouldn't fade anytime soon.

It would be easily on his face for the rest of his life.

Somewhere, Chifuyu guessed he didn't want that. Chifuyu pulled her harder, causing Kerlongsj to grab her wrist. Wanting to tease him, she pressed on but Kerlongsj hardened his grip on her hands.

Her other hand came up but even when he was tired, he remained vigilant. She struggled for a second before the man pushed down, back on the mats. She looked up to him, smiling.

He could be oh, so adorable on his little games. Or as adorable a twenty-year-old Hacker leader who enough power to shut down the whole world and could rip every pilot apart as easily as Chifuyu could.

Chifuyu lean tin closer to him, his face going red. She kissed him on the cheek and got back up, or better said. She sat on him.

Just on his stomach so his lungs could feel his body with oxygen and it wouldn't make things uncomfortable. Kerlongsj could easily push Chifuyu from him but he refused to do so. Not because his energy drained to nothing (which could be easily described as a lie. He could easily refill it.).

He liked Chifuyu sitting on him. So he let her in his place. the two didn't move, enjoying it. Chifuyu smiling while Kerlongsj was grinning.

They stayed like that for a while before Chifuyu decided to tease him, the muscles tensing up under her, the nails touching the skin above his lungs. She avoided his nipples, knowing better than to question his masculinity. Chifuyu got up from him and Kerlongsj decided to act.

"What's on your mind? You never act this frisky unless it's scaring you." Chifuyu sighed. He was too good at this. From what she learned, Kerlongsj could pick signals very soon and he was too stubborn to let a girl walk away.

Somehow, she wished that he would be in her life all the time. It was stupid, no denigrating, scratch that idiotic.

She never dreamed, wondered or even considered a romance in her life. She was a Brunhilde, the strongest woman on the planet. If she could be honest, those victories, those prices, they were shallow if she compared those to what they really brought her.

Her ideas of a Knight in Shining Armor were scoffed at. It was even ironic. She was the White Knight for fuck sake.

She turned to Kerlongsj who had walked up and took his dark sweater. She blushed when the man pulled the dark shirt over his head. He pulled the hoodie up, covering his head.

He pulled it back and took his hidden blades, the blades passing his fingers. It was complicated, weird and hardly normal weapons but they fitted him. she smirked when she looked his body.

He wasn't a muscle brimmed Hercules, it had a more nimble, slimmer build. What he had was damn impressive. Chifuyu, warriors she was, knew that even if you didn't show any muscle, you'd still do enough. His long body had no unnecessary traits of fat but even if his life wasn't like this, she didn't think his body would set out.

It could work like a bunker for him. it also depended on your genetics and how your parents looked.

With everything, he was her type. If she could even call it like that.

The young Hacker walked to Chifuyu, her smirk wasn't going away. Chifuyu sighed and gave in under his honest stare.

"I want advice." Kerlongsj titled his head and raised an eyebrow.

She wanted advice. And from all people, she wanted from him. Kerlongsj decided to sit next to her but because she didn't react, he decided to tease her.

The mischievous idea was taking Chifuyu up and putting her on his lap. Startled, Chifuyu struggled but Kerlongsj vice like grip didn't let her wrist go. After he was done, she was sitting embarrassed beyond belief.

He had pulled in his lap. He tried to move out but couldn't get away. Kerlongsj had placed her on his pelvis but she swore she couldn't feel the slightest form of arousal. Most likely, his Nanites were canceling that. Kerlongsj's arms were becoming a chain. His right hand closed on is left wrist.

Chifuyu felt a smile coming up her face. His arms being close her body, pressing but not too hard. A furious blush and a look later, she turned to Kerlongsj who gave her a cheeky grin.

Chifuyu hated that. He was strong enough to keep her down.

And the second part was his still boyish looks were a huge turn-on. The raven-haired looked back hoping to hide her face. "Why did you put me in your lap?"

She finally spoke. It wasn't uncomfortable if she wondered about out. Just weird that psychical contact was a large part of life she didn't know. Well, Tabane's hugs aside, but those were just annoying.

Kerlongsj smiled, happy she finally gave in.

"Whenever Anaton is feeling down, I put him my lap as well. He always recovers after that. Chifuyu's eyes got a violent look.

"So because it works with your little brother, you guessed it would work with me. An adult woman who has been taking care of herself a long time." Her voice carried the malicious intent she always had when she wanted to punish someone and it didn't matter who that someone was.

Funny, by the gender rules that came with the White Knight, she never abused a male.

Well, not on those who didn't deserve it.

Or bothered her.

Fine. She used the rules to her advantage. Kerlongsj grinned.

"Nah, but if you have calmed down, you maybe could tell me what's bothering you?" Chifuyu gritted her teeth on that reply. She might take his ways but she was good. And in all honesty, Kerlongsj was someone who could relate to her

Not because he could rip an IS apart. No, because he raised a child from a young age himself.

Okay, he was seventeen at that time and she was twelve.

Okay, she was Japanese and he was Flemish given an entirely different culture.

And okay, Kerlongsj had a whole organization to rely on and she was alone.

But raising a child when you're one yourself ain't easy. Chifuyu learned that the hard way. Ichika was a good boy.

No mistake, Ichika was a dream child to have. Kind, nice, considerate, mindful. With everything considered, he did his best to help his sister in her daily courses. Which she could appreciate. He never caused any problems as well. still, it involved Ichika but this was on Chifuyu, not on him.

"Kerlongsj, I eh, like some advice on Ichika." She blushed and tried to rethink those words. Kerlongsj went silent. For a second that is. But in the end, he shrugged.

See another part about the two, was this. Ichika or Anaton, their little brothers were holy for them. Point.

"Sure, where can I help you with?" Chifuyu leaned on his body.

"I want to know you're doing this. I mean. How are you combining to raise Anaton with your work?" Kerlongsj went silent for a second time but he dropped his arms as well.

"In what way?" A growl came from behind.

It gave her a shiver but as a calm feeling came from behind her. She took the words in her mouth, rethought them and sighed.

"In what way do you mean raising? As a sister or as a mother? Cause see it how you like it. You raise Ichika like your own child, right? Then you raise him as a mother. You ain't his sis in that case. You're his mom."

His words his her. She sometimes thought of Ichika as her own child. But it wasn't all that.

For her, Ichika was her entire world. Everything she did, everything she worked for, every accomplishment. It was meant for him.

He adored his big sister, nearly worshiped her. she did her best to mold him into a good man. Still, she wanted some sort of an idea.

"How do you do it?" She turned to Kerlongsj. She let his arms ago and she folded them around his body. The muscles tensed up, his body got a bit rougher and his breath got edgier. "How do you raise Anaton?"

Kerlongsj wanted to speak, closed his mouth and wiped his eyes. "I combine. If you want to give it a name, I'm like an uncle. I allow more than, take a father would but I'm still having more border than a brother. I still guide and talk to him. Anaton doesn't now and will never look at me like I am his da. And I'm okay with that. He sees me as a father figure. Big difference. For him, I'm most likely an older brother. A cool, older, kind, experienced brother. A brother that will laugh with him, will stand next to him, protect him and you can go on with this list. I try to fill in a role both he and me, which is also important, can agree on. You should do the same."

Chifuyu sighed.

"it's just that I am not used to that. Ichika is a good kid, aside from all hardness I put him through? I just…"

She paused, causing Kerlongsj to look her in his eyes. It was weird, even for him, to see Chifuyu like that.

She looked so weak. So broken. So… So… So… he couldn't tell what.

It was so stupid for her to open up to him. He should be her enemy. He was the leader of men who opposed the IS. Still, he wasn't her enemy.

He was a guy who got in a similar situation like him. A child raising badass.

In his case, a child-rearing one as well.

Chifuyu tugged on his arms, comparing them to Ichika's. They were also strong like his. They were also balanced. She had been surprised how strong, frustrated and sad he had been. She had been gradually pushing her strength and skill on her brother.

She hadn't forgotten to trained Ichika but she didn't know how closer the boy got to her. She still won, mind you. she had been able to get him easily.

He was one guy, now standing at the world she changed. He fought but was still seen as weak. In the end, he sank down. Tears streaming from his face, his body one solid mess, but he wasn't broken. He stood back up.

Clutching him, she reminded herself how much she asked to form him. By defying her, he became this strong and the place was given, she was now reminded of man's strength.

And Kerlongsj arms had been back around her body, holding her close enough. Chifuyu sighed.

"You have it easy. You can act like a brother but it's not for me to think about him like that."

Kerlongsj snorted. "You're lying. If it wasn't for you, you would have never be bothered by taking care. You have done the complete opposite. There is nothing wrong with showing that." Chifuyu's eyes widened.

Did that ape forget she was Japanese? Public affecting was frowned upon. Kerlongsj cupped her head.

"You just know what to say."

Chifuyu complimented him. He might not be boyfriend material yet but he was close friend material. Or whatever the hell, he might be, Chifuyu deiced to push on. She kissed the man when she sat in his lap. The whole world might have been so important but for now, this warmth was what she needed.

Chifuyu didn't know why the memory came back. But even so, at this point, it didn't matter. The sun began to disappear by gray clouds. It looked like a storm was brewing. Not that the weather would make difference.

She still would face her toughest challenge till date. In all her years, her worst enemy should be enemies from the past. Memories who become real. She wouldn't have guessed that the worst person is the one that became so similar to her.

Still, it was Kerlongsj who blocked her attack with his favorite weapon, the hidden blade. The force used was her enough to make a crater underneath his feet. The Hacker parried her blade and moved in close, using his other knife.

Chifuyu moved away, dodged by a hair's breadth the deadly knife. Kerlongsj jumped up, making a circle I the air, to have an extra power up. He caught Chifuyu's katana beneath his pivot blade. Because the risk of losing his hands was all too real, he let the knife go up, letting the blade go with it, passing him.

Chifuyu took a breath and moved in closer, using her right sword. Kerlongsj's turn to dodge came in by bending his knees to let the sword make a vertical cut.

A stupid mistake.

Chifuyu slashed down, causing Kerlongsj to let himself fall and the man had a split second to roll away.

Quickly getting up, he aimed his right hand. Attached to his right was a small system of semi-automatic darts. Kerlongsj knew that it wouldn't do a thing but it could keep Chifuyu off his back. Kerlongsj admitted. She was impressive.

He somewhere was glad that she didn't fight using an Infinite Stratos.

He also found her form alluring. Her body wrapped in that long, tight suit, her hair in that ponytail, those cold eyes. He flashed her a grin. She was so turning him on that it was ridiculous for this point.

Chifuyu was happy her facial expressions were trained to be cold. Otherwise, she might have the faintest tint of red on her cheeks. Kerlongsj was standing half naked with his scars open. As she found out, those were sensitive.

But that wasn't everything. Her shoes and trouser were relatively unharmed.

The girl found him attractive, given the way he looked. Chifuyu deflected the arrows quite easily. She raced to Kerlongsj. The young man reacted the same way. Again, steel found steel. Kerlongsj had pushed the pivot left blade against Chifuyu's swords, bringing them face to face. Both struggled against the massive power the other had. Chifuyu in all her years believed in female supremacy.

Well, not believed. She found that women had now caught up. And that century, scratch that, the whole history of suppression, had now to be repaid.

With Kerlongsj, the old ideas of equality came back. She found one thing.

He was strong and with this, she dared say he was just a little bit better.

She was better in fighting, true. In her martial arts, she could defeat him.

But in the one thing, nature created them he was better.

Pure, raw strength.

Even with all her years of training, in a matter of strength, Kerlongsj had trained that many years as well. With the difference that Nature had designed his body thousand years ago. No matter what would come, his body was just better designed for that. Kerlongsj said he didn't want that part but couldn't deny that.

He was designed in a way by Nature. And fat luck that no matter what would come, you couldn't change that.

So she kicked at his stomach, forcing the man to be blown away. Kerlongsj cursed. This kick. It would be enough to stop a rampaging bull. If he was normal, just that kick would have killed him. but normal had left him years ago.

He landed at one of the watch towers of the arena. Jack didn't leave him.

'You still there, little one?' Kerlongsj asked his keeper. Kerlongsj felt his ears letting out a painful touch. He let his Nanites heal his body. Hey, he had never said he wouldn't use them for the sake of healing him.

By looking up, he saw Chifuyu had now left the normal category of human.

Did she just fifty meters in the sky? Kerlongsj moved out of the way. By Chifuyu's strength, she destroyed the tower. Kerlongsj saw from below using his skateboard.

He couldn't suppress the gulp. He knew she was strong but that Chifuyu would destroy a tower with nothing more but her sword. Even he didn't saw that coming.

'Your girlfriend is wacky as fuck.' Jack shared his ideas with their link.

'Agreed but.' Kerlongsj raced down. 'You can't call me normal anymore as well.'

The dust cloud began to clear up. Chifuyu had her swords in the ground, buried by the impact. They were destroyed as the hilt fell down. Chifuyu took out a new sword, taking with two hands.

She jumped after the man. Kerlongsj surprised didn't stop him from blocking her, not disturbed by her attacks. While still struggling in midair, Chifuyu forgot gravity.

That law had begun to set in and she began to fall to the ground. Kerlongsj didn't worry. Chifuyu made a summersault, preparing her landing. While her eyes were focused on Kerlongsj, a deadly projectile capitulated in her way. Said project was the Icebreaker, a third gen model from Norway.

Chifuyu still moved up in the air, narrowly avoiding the impending doom. Kerlongsj glanced up while still having most focus on Chifuyu. The Devil's Brigand proved to have little problems with what was thrown at them.

Basically, those four guys faced the deadliest force in centuries. More than fifty countries had set in their top IS models to attack. But the pilots forgot a little thing.

They fought the ones who were trained to take them on. Denzel looked to Kerlongsj and he nodded. They certainly would have a lot of fun, a bit too much but months of stress had to come out.

Working on Kerlongsj was good but the three last weeks gave them an itch. That itch got only worse after last fight, they just wanted to get in the field. Kerlongsj was a nice guy. All soldiers had to admit that working under him was good.

But that was in the normal case of things.

But last three weeks were horrible or better put mortifying.

Working under Kerlongsj were good times, working under him when he was in real Flemish Devil mode, not that much.

That's why the four men fought with a smile on their faces, they enjoyed their stress finding an outlet.

Denzel swung his giant sword, blocking and parrying several attacks coming his way. Sander activated his fists and like a tornado, he smacked the pilots away that were attacking from his friend in the back.

The swordsman slashed making some space while the brawler moved in. Wannes downloaded two semi-automatic shotguns on his arms, took a deep breath, and blasted himself away. In midair, he changed to assault rifles and countless bullets came out. Thomas had giant crossbow out and released his arrow, preventing more pilots coming closer.

Denzel fought a second gen unit who charged in using her spear. She was taken out by Sander. The blond gave the man a nod as thanks. While another pilot attacked Sander, Denzel was all too ready to return the favor.

An arrow took that opportunity. The two turned their heads, seeing Thomas with his giant Crossbow. Denzel gave a second nod to his partner while Sander saluted. Wannes had a grenade launcher and shot the pilots out of the way. More and more Infinite Stratos fell. Despite the overwhelming numbers, there was a little advantage.

The Hackers got a large decade training to work with a group. The pilots didn't have that. They flew in each other's way, attacked another one and none of them had one leader giving directions.

The Hackers neither but they had a goal. Don't stop fighting until it's over.

For one thing was remarkable. The Hackers didn't kill their enemies. They just made sure they were unable to fight.

And speaking of pilots, they had no problem with Ichika and his group. At another part of the island, Ichika and his group were settling things with Mattheus.

While they would normally kill the pilots, it wasn't in tier interest. Kerlongsj had maybe the enjoyed the fight the four had but right now, he was too busy on his own.

He just had the time to avoid a katana. The sword was buried in the walls of the arena. And it destroyed the wall.

The sword was still in one piece but the walls were open. Kerlongsj's eyes bulged open.

"What the fuck?" Okay, she was strong. He of all people knew that but she had just pulled down a wall. Chifuyu launched herself, her two hands on two news swords. Kerlongsj avoided the attack, landing back on the ground. When back standing, he had no time to think.

She fought again. He was on the Defensive but for him, that was the best. Blocking and parrying the attacks, this was the best. He could wait for an opening.

Last time, Chifuyu had her hair in a ponytail, the first Brunhilde was confident, almost cocky. Right now, Chifuyu knew it was different.

She didn't fight a soldier with her orders. She fought a warrior with his own ideas and goals. A man who trusted his skills, tools, and wits to be on par with hers. A man that became her equal. It wasn't out of stupidity nor the feeling she was stronger.

Kerlongsj was as strong as her. Back then.

At this point, she couldn't tell.

Kerlongsj pushed her attack back, forcing her to avoid his cut. She forced herself back and now found her standing at the opposite side of the arena. Still, he struggled.

How much he hated it, the fight with Fiora and destroying her core had put a dent on him.

In another fight, he would have been fine.

In another place, he could have survived easily.

In another opponent, he would even bother lifting an eyebrow. But not Chifuyu.

Both were nowhere from done but they both had gathered some wounds. Chifuyu's clothes were dusted while Kerlongsj's body, especially his torso, was feeling some muscles soaring.

It had been too long that he was pushed to his limits. But he enjoyed it.

This was his best fight until now.

The two top fighters raced to each other, determined to continue. Chifuyu gave her a high kick but Kerlongsj avoided that one. She turned around, a kick following, blocked by his arms. Kerlongsj, still blocking her moved in closer, raising a fist.

Chifuyu jumped up, turning around in the air. Kerlongsj had just the time to parry an attack. He turned around, Chifuyu got her turn to stop an attack.

It was a draw. Both were too good at this, even with the enemy being the very same person they knew. By having trained, sparred, made love, fought back to back before. By everything, the two went through. They knew each other too well. That was the problem.

They haven't told each other how they fought but by the years, they learned from each other. Kerlongsj saw an opening, he took Chifuyu's shoulders, made a jump and had a vertical line, one similar to her body and smashed the woman through the wall, catapulting her to the academy.

Kerlongsj made a sigh of relief before something landed behind him. Without fear, he turned around but the Flemish Devil knew that family was holy for some, himself included.

A pissed off brother, he had been one himself. Right now, he faced Chifuyu's.

A brother that is furious, well, that is scary. Scratch that, they were mortifying. And where he knew that Ichika wasn't a threat, his face filled with hate, caused Kerlongsj to gulp. Before he could act, Ichika had swung Yukihira, sending Kerlongsj after his older sister.

'Captain, I'm embarrassed. If Chifuyu would have done it, I'd understand. But her half-assed brother. Really?'

Jack's comment let Kerlongsj think of strangling the bird but if this would continue, he wouldn't have to kill the bird. He would die if Kerlongsj died and by two shells, Kerlongsj knew Ichika was out for his blood.

The sawn-off shotgun blasted at the man. He made a shield, deflecting the shots. 'Might consider Joel letting me make one. This thing is great.'

Ichika kept firing at him while Mattheus was keeping himself busy with the seven furious pilots. The Hunter had moved to another spot. The sleeper agent knew that he was good enough but they weren't the top of the world. The lower ones could have their own fights but if you got in the way of the real big guys, you'd be killed.

Kerlongsj could have stopped Ichika easily but that would kill the boy and he would never forgive himself for that.

Make no mistake, he could and had killed pilots before. In fact, Kerlongsj and his cause were a much bigger threat towards pilots than Phantom Task ever could be. But the Hackers weren't interested in a war. That was now up for debate after he destroyed a fucking unique core but Kerlongsj would forget about talk if it involved his little brother.

Killing Ichika was a bridge too far. Chifuyu would really kill him for that. And Mattheus would do so. And Joel. And that wasn't in his interest. Kerlongsj hoped to find a way to take away until he heard a familiar voice.

"Hell's Punch."

A smile graced the warrior's face and he hoped he could hold back his tears. Looking up, he saw a twelve-year-old boy swinging his fist. Ichika was focused on Kerlongsj and by a sloppy reflex, he blocked the fist but that wasn't Anaton's goal.

Nanites explode by the impact and a huge explosion followed. After the lights died down, Anaton landed on the floor in a fashion that wrote badass all over it. Ichika unceremoniously crashed making a pretty big crater. Kerlongsj deactivated his shield and looked over to the boy.

Anaton turned to the man. Like his older brother, Anaton was shirtless. He discarded his excuse for a prisoners uniform. The time of hardship hasn't done any really favors on his body. The boy didn't have any weapons, he looked starved, wounds were infecting and healing at the same time and close to the same spots.

But Kerlongsj could care less about that. He looked to the eyes of his little brother. There was the answer Kerlongsj hoped to find.

And the young boy's eyes told him that he saw and lived through unspeakable horrors. Horrors the man should have done his best to avoid. Horrors he caused. Kerlongsj walked to him, slowly, like there wasn't a third world war brewing.

Kerlongsj thought about it. He sucked at this. He always sucked at apologies.

But at this point, he owned Anaton one. Explosions followed, pilots crashed, debris followed, by the fights, the island began to tear itself apart. The amount of energy coming from the huge amount of pilots and the resistance of the Hackers was incredible.

But Kerlongsj could care less. He now stood in front of Anaton. The young boy looking up at him.

"Yo." The kid greeted his older brother while said man kneeled so the two faces were at the same height.

"Sup, kid." The voice both had, were more casual than most would have guessed. Like they weren't going through, well, all this.

"I got a question for you." He just asked while crossing his arms. Anaton looked at his brother who sighed for a bit.

"When you were captured, you cut our link. You put me through a whole lot of problems. Care to explain?" Anaton looked defiant of his older brother rage.

"I did that to protect you. By using me, they would have overcharged our link and they would have killed you." Kerlongsj kneeled to his younger brother.

"You've cutten our link to protect me? Who asked you? You think of me that weak that I can't take some pain?" The Devil offered the Hell Boy a fist and Anaton understood.

"Re-stablishing Hackers Link. Devil's Code Synced with."

"Hell's Fire." From the two came a whole bunch of energy. Lightening the two boys up, Kerlongsj stood up and messed with his little brother hair. "I'm happy to see you kid."

"Yup and I'm happy to see you again." They heard a grunt and Ichika crawled back up. He was battered but nowhere near beaten. Not now at least. Anaton smirked at the pilot. Cracking his knuckles, he was looking forward to this fight.

"Kerlongsj. I'll keep myself occupied with him. You got after your girlfriend, I'll keep myself busy with him. Besides, I have a backup." Kerlongsj turned to Joel who saluted to him.

"Yo, captain." Kerlongsj smiled. Happy his little brother's best friend had done the thing he couldn't.

"Yo, Pearce. Thanks for saving my brother." Kerlongsj turned to the path Chifuyu had caved. She was in the school right now.

"I'll be fighting Chifuyu. Joel, you and Anaton are going to help Mattheus. He might need the backup." The two boys turned to Ichika who had no interest of letting them pass.

His sword clenched his hands, furious on the lie. He was devastated by the presumed death of Joel and Mattheus and turned out those two were still alive and kicking.

Joel took out his modified handgun, his right hand turning it around like a gunslinger while the energy dagger slipped past his left hand.

"Joel." The young punk turned to the Hacker boy. "You go to Mattheus. If I look at him, he ain't gonna let us pass. Besides, I was hoping for a fight like this for a long time." The Hell Boy cracked his knuckles and breathed in.

"Hell's Fire. Six circles." The energy transported from the core of his body, causing the earth to slightly tremble. While Hell's Fire and Devil's Code worked the same way, it had a huge difference. Due to Kerlongsj large amount of Nanites, he letting out just one circle caused a huge disturbance. With Anaton, who barely could hold six circles, it wasn't very impressive.

Even so, the power he felt coming from the Nanites was enough.

Ichika attacked Joel, hoping to take him out before Anaton could defend him. It was a pity for the Knight that Anaton saw it coming. Using his fists he blocked the sword.

"Don't even think about it. You wanna fight, I'm ready to kick you down." Ichika glared at him, trying to fight.

"Besides, don't you think it's fair. Our older siblings are full out, wouldn't make it more sense if we two had a brawl?" He broke off the attack, letting his Nanites come out.

"BTW, don't use your Reiraku Byakuya too fast. I want to make this a long fight and you using your Special powers would ruin this?" Joel had gotten the message and when Ichika was busy with Anaton, Joel knew where Mattheus was.

Due to the time they spent at the Hackers, he worked on a ton of modifications. Between the missions, he had gotten more recourses to cut down Lavathenian's weak points.

Joel gulped as he made the link. Ichika was now fighting Anaton so Mattheus must keep himself busy with the harem. How strong he had grown due to the heavy training, seven Personal Pilots were a force to reckoned with.

He blinked at his phone. Mattheus was in a pinch due to the energy levels. Shit.

This war was far from over and both had to play an important role or they would have been cut down.

Ichika and Anaton clashed using their full powers. Ichika had grown a bit too much on the shotgun and right now, that was paying up as Anaton's relentless attacks forced him to block, parry and counter with just Yukihira.

"Come on, come on. Do you want to fight? Bring it on." The young Hacker was insane. He flung in, full out, without disregards of his life, clashing and kicking. It was impossible for Ichika to predict an attack. Unlike most amateurs, this was really Anaton's idea.

He wanted to let Ichika think he was insane, so Ichika had no way to see out for a full counter. Until Reiraku Byakuya came out, he would have to counter it.

This would be so much fun.

Kerlongsj had ran to the school, the building looming over. He turned back to the arena that was crumbling, the shots coming from further, indicating that Mattheus was still fighting.

He turned back to the school, finding the crater where Chifuyu would have been. She wasn't anywhere to be found so she got away.

Kerlongsj sighed.

This was nowhere near its end. He walked in the school, given a dark, gloomy aura now the power had been cut off.

"Chifuyu. Come on." He said while standing in the hall.

"You know as well as me that you aren't for playing games. Come out." The Devil turned his left pivot until just a breeze of wind came from behind him.

Despite the bad vision, he blocked the attack. Turning around, he found Chifuyu. She had lost pieces of her clothes and her protective mask had been going down. She also lacked a sword. Just two more were in her hands.

"Fuck."

Kerlongsj smiled at her.

"I think it's the first time I heard you swear. Why couldn't you just lay down?" He asked while she turned the sword pivot, drawing a lot of blood on his chest.

Kerlongsj wasn't fazed by the attack, being it a superficial wound, it would heal fast enough. But it was still good enough for him to feel the sting. Kerlongsj felt the wound and smelled the blood coming from his chest.

"You believe this will end? Kerlongsj, I will not stop till either you or your friends are dead or you surrender." Kerlongsj shook his head and he pulled out his Blades and twirled them around in his hands.

Shaking his head, the Hacker smiled at his enemy.

"No. If I surrender, my gang, my brother, and my soldiers will die. So that's out of the question." Kerlongsj took a breath, the circle of death coming closer as the two made themselves ready.

They clashed, Kerlongsj left blade at her sword, he made an upwards motion, forcing Chifuyu a bit to back down. After that, he moved in closer, making a circle. Chifuyu avoided but when he landed, she moved back in. The man avoided that attack, just letting the sword pass his face. Chifuyu jumped up, one sword in two hands while Kerlongsj moved in under her attack.

She foresaw that and pushed the man back. Kerlongsj waited until she attacked him back. While still in a lower position, he bent through his knees. The katana passing his head, pushing himself up, he retaliated by letting his knife pass to her.

Chifuyu parried his attack and kicked him in the ground. The pain shot his eyes open. He avoided the next attack by pulling back.

The woman followed him and by pushing him back by her furious attacks, Kerlongsj feeling the wall, making a decision. He waited until she gave a powerful attack. Kerlongsj waited, blocked the sword from above his head, stunning her by using his flat hand on her head.

Jumping on the wall, he made a circle in the air and by the extra force, he brought her back. Chifuyu would have none of that and while the move was strong, it left Kerlongsj open.

Chifuyu impaled him with her sword but she didn't stop there. She pushed through and forced him through the wall. It didn't stop there, she pushed on and on, burying him through the wall. The wall cracked and the man's body fell on the wall.

"RRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH." Chifuyu shouted while the Hacker felt his body going through the walls. His eyes rolled at the end of his head by the sheer pain. This hurt. Fuck. This hurt. This hurt so damn bad.

Kerlongsj gripped her at her shoulders and gave her a head-butt. This stopped her attack while her sword was still in his body. The man glared at her while his Hidden Blades impaled her shoulders.

This attack really did a number on him. Dirt had gotten on his clothes and body and smaller wounds, especially on his back had come out. But still, he could fight.

But a cough that carried blood. He spitted the metallic taste out his mouth. His breaths were heavy and erratic, his vision clouded by the pain. Fuck. This was getting too much out of hand.

Chifuyu didn't look any better. While her outfit was largely intact, Kerlongsj had destroyed her armor and her ponytail fell out. Kerlongsj looked up and couldn't suppress but blush. He had never seen Chifuyu with her hair down and while he carried some grave wounds, this still did more of a number on him.

"Seems like you and I aren't going to stop soon." Kerlongsj smiled at her. "Pity for you that I am still stronger than you."

The man's smile got off his face. "Who.. the.. Fuck. Said… so." He asked while he forced his whole body to stand on his feet. The woman twisted the sword in his body while Kerlongsj answered by pushing the knives deeper in her shoulders. She tried to fight back but found it more and more difficult to move her body. Eventually, one of the two had to fall.

Kerlongsj bit back the pain coming from his stomach while not letting her go. Chifuyu hoped he didn't notice her struggling with his hands still having his vice grip.

The two would stand for a while until Kerlongsj body gave out, forcing the man to kneel in front of her but the Brunhilde followed the Devil. His arms pushed her down, now the two looked face to face.

Chifuyu slowly let the sword go, taking his hands and wincing every bit as she forced the knives to go out of her body. While Kerlongsj knew what she did, he let her doing so. The slow manner told her that she suffered as much he did. Centimeters of sharp metal buried in her soft flesh came out, blood following it. Finally, she found the end of his blades going out.

She fell back, letting the sword go. Kerlongsj took the sword, still buried and in one fell swoop, he pulled it out and threw at her.

"You avoided my vital organs. One cut of this and it could even kill me." He threw the sword back and let his Nanites heal him. Chifuyu smiled at him.

"If that's the case, you cheat using those machines." She bit back her pain.

"Fuck you." Kerlongsj stood up and walked to her.

"Why don't you give it up? Even if you try to defeat me, you can't and you know that. I can heal myself back up."

Chifuyu smiled at him.

"Every war has his victims. Seems like I lose but you just lose everyone. Kerlongsj raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, why?"

Chifuyu tried to laugh but she felt the wounds. Kerlongsj decided to do something very stupid. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he began to heal Chifuyu. She felt the wounds closing and her energy restored. Fuck, why was this man her enemy?

Kerlongsj let her go and sat one knee. "Now, why do you say I would lose?"

Chifuyu tried to fight back but her body going from mortally wounded to healing tried to adjust. "Well, because you have just a handful of men out here." Kerlongsj shook his head.

"You forget who I brought. If I know my gang members that well, they must have done something I could call insubordination." Chifuyu's puzzled look was good enough. Kerlongsj still leaning on his knees looked at her.

"Well, by now, they must have called their own private troops to keep the Mass Produced ones of their backs. You underestimate my organization. We're pretty much everywhere. Those soldiers aren't under my command, meaning I can't give them orders."

Chifuyu cursed under her breath.

"You let those four have their own private army? You do realize they could kill you and take the spot for themselves." Kerlongsj shrugged.

"Yes, they can. But I think they'll never do. First of all, they know what a pain it is being a leader. Second. Hacker leaders got their position chosen. As long my Hackers agree on me being their leader, they will do so. I built my cause on the idea that I'm not better or worse than the next. That every man makes the count. By doing so, I got their loyalty. And it turns out it works."

Chifuyu shook her head.

"Something else. I knew you saved Adjzof from that bullet. But I couldn't confirm it." Kerlongsj slid down, looking at her. His body could adapt as well. Maybe they could keep this civil until both their bodies gave out. Kerlongsj felt Chifuyu's raw power, knowing that both of them hadn't too long to go.

While their armies had been fighting, Kerlongsj hoped to survive this. He had no intention of killing Chifuyu but he knew she did. For some part he hoped, she would give out but in his inner thoughts, this was a fight as Brunhilde.

Protector of the world against the filth. And that filth was his army.

"Your body is going to need four minutes before you can fight. We promised that our fight was on equal terms. I have never said I would heal you back up. Those four minutes, use them well. But to answer your question, yes. I knew there lived a man in Belgium that could pilot the IS." Kerlongsj said smiling at Chifuyu.

"How long has Adjzof been working for you?" She felt the energy surging. While he had healed her before, this was certainly intense. Not as much as their first time or those who came after their fucking, but this still did a number on her.

"I contacted Mattheus after the Silver Gospel. Due to him coming back to Belgium, I told the man of the options he had. Those were very real and while I didn't tell him everything, he started working for me. I could use him as a soldier, secret agent or other types but his mindset and his already integration in this school made him perfect for a sleeper agent." Kerlongsj smiled at her.

"So that is why. After the contact, I trained him. But really, you didn't notice it. You begin to lose your touch." The Ice Queen walked to him, trying to hurt him before she fell down.

"His kick punch with Pearce. It's the same as your Hell's Blade. You did a good job training him." Kerlongsj grinned.

"I learned from you. If I can be honest, no one besides you can actually hurt me." Chifuyu smiled at him.

She shook her head.

"You're insane. I mean. Everything you do. For one action, you cut it down. You fight me and while you can kill me, you heal me. While you talk about peace, you destroyed a core." Kerlongsj looked disinterested.

"You just notice now? True, I'm insane. You cannot hope to remain sane in the line of work we both do. You are cold, that's your nature but you try to hold it off by your persona. I have given up my sanity long ago. There is nothing wrong with being insane. As long your insanity doesn't take great proportions, it's okay. I can live like this. As for my actions,"

He walked closer to her or better said crawled closer to her.

"I don't want you dead. You might be my enemy but you're also the only woman that has never called me a freak or that is afraid of me. You don't take my bullshit, you're someone who can think otherwise than I do but you're still similar to me. I wouldn't have screwed you if I wasn't in love with you. If you die, that isn't good for me. As for the fight, well, you and I both know that messing with our little brothers would end up like that."

Chifuyu gave him that one.

"Indeed, if you mess with our little brothers, you end up dead."

She stood up and took both her swords back out.

"We're not done yet." Kerlongsj shrugged and let his Nanites come out.

"I was hoping for that. But before we continue. I want to know one thing. Do you wish to kill me?" Chifuyu paused, a silence between them. Chifuyu took a heavy breath.

"No."

"Good."

The two ran to each other, and at full power, there came a shockwave from the building felt by anyone. While most of the spectators had fled the building, they could still feel the power coming from the building.

The Devil's Brigand looked over and noticed the power. "Seems like he's going to destroy the school." Denzel parried the attack.

Sander landed next to him. "I bet that we find them screwing." He said while throwing his fists.

Ichika and Anaton were thrown away, landing somewhere away. The two looked at each other and to the school.

Their siblings would now really begin.

Mattheus and Joel were busy fighting the pilots before they noticed the shock. The whole building shook and the Hunter gulped. He never hoped to catch the wrath of Kerlongsj or Chifuyu.

* * *

And that's it for now. I have worked on this idea for hours and I tried to work on other ideas but for now, I think I can't put anything more on paper. I'm just not in the mood of putting anything more on paper. But I haven't said this is just the ending.

I had to figure a way and this seemed like the best. I don't know if I should put more on the computer but for now, I'm good.

As for splitting and modifying the chapters, was an idea I got from someone else. I worked on three chapters in those weeks and I have enough for now. Please leave a review.

Saluut.


	6. New for the coming months

Hey guys. Sorry it has been so long but I'm afraid that I don't have that good news for you all. Since Easter Holidays have passed, I had to spend a few days over to compensate. I'm also busy with my school that will end at the end of May.

Besides a big test, I got one hell of a task I will at least need the next few weeks for. I'm also brining in my own computer for a much needed upgrade. I got no idea when he'll be returned but I'm not going to count on it for a week or two.

When May is passed, June will come but during that time, I won't have time either. My Old Man has the bright idea to go to Turkey, despite everything that has happened there in the last year. And when I get back, I only got a few days before I will help out at the place where my mom and sis are practicing for a show at horseback riding.

Due to the fact I have done the same sport for easily passed a decade when I was a kid (and I know all the trick how to work with a horse) plus there is a girl that I really get along well. When I'm back from my holiday, it's a bit more prepping for that show and then, I think that we got our summer holidays. So that will be the soonest I'm going to have time to write on FanFiction again. Sorry but I just got a hell of a lot busier than I expected. I'll see you guys around than. If I'm not stuck at a holiday job which I really want to get.

I have been thinking what I should do on En Route to a Better life and I also wrote a bit on paper for Is Vs HxH. It's not that I didn't want to write but I just couldn't due to practical matters or because I had no feeling on the chapter.

As for the Grad Stud, I have been working on ideas but those don't seem to come around. I need time to work on them and how to write it out on paper. You can have ideas but they don't seem really good. As for AOW, the amount of support I got was far too less for me to continue for now. Time is precious, even free time.

Thanks for the support I got in the last months. I hate to leave you guys hanging but I rather give you a message on how long it will take instead of leaving you just hanging.


End file.
